Compensation of Sandstrum v. State Accident Insurance Fund

In this workers’ compensation proceeding the issue is whether the State Accident Insurance Fund (SAIF) unreasonably deducted from claimant’s permanent partial disability benefits $974.01 pursuant to a wage assignment under ORS 23.777 to satisfy claimant’s child support obligation. Claimant appeals from that portion of an order by the Workers’ Compensation Board (Board) affirming the referee’s order and ruling that SAIF did not act unreasonably in withholding the benefits, and thus that claimant was not entitled to a penalty and an attorney’s fee. We affirm.

The chronology of this case is as…