Workers’ compensation claims

The director shall employ appropriate staff to handle and adjust claims of state employees for workers’ compensation benefits pursuant to chapter 10A, subchapter III, and chapters 85, 85A, and 85B, or, with the approval of the executive council, contract for the services or purchase workers’ compensation insurance coverage for state employees or selected groups of state employees. A state employee workers’ compensation fund is created in the state treasury under the control of the department to pay state employee workers’ compensation claims and administrative costs. The department shall establish a rating formula and assess premiums to all agencies, departments, and divisions of the state including those which have not received an appropriation for the payment of workers’ compensation insurance and which operate from moneys other than from the general fund of the state. The department shall collect the premiums and deposit them into the state employee workers’ compensation fund. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys deposited in the state employee workers’ compensation fund shall not revert to the general fund of the state at the end of any fiscal year, but shall remain in the state employee workers’ compensation fund and be continuously available to pay state employee workers’ compensation claims. The director may, to the extent practicable, contract with a private organization to handle the processing and payment of claims and services rendered under the provisions of this section.