Rhode Island § 28-31-1 - Workers’ Compensation — State and Municipal Employees

§ 28-31-1. Acceptance of provisions by town, city, or regional school district — Employees covered.

(a)(1) The acceptance of the provisions of chapters 29 — 38 of this title by a city or town, except for the city of Providence, shall be by vote of the electors of that town qualified to vote on a proposition to impose a tax or for the expenditure of money in town meeting assembled, or by vote of the town council of any town when authorized by their electors to accept the provisions of those chapters in behalf of that town. The acceptance of the provisions of those chapters by a city shall be by vote of the city council of that city.

(2)  The acceptance of the provisions of chapters 29 — 38 of this title by a regional school district shall be by vote of the electors of that school district qualified to vote at financial meetings of that district, or by vote of the regional district school committee when authorized by those electors to accept the provisions of these chapters on behalf of that district.

(3)  Electors of a town, or the town council authorized as provided in this section, or electors of a regional district or school committee, or the city council of a city, in accepting the provisions of those chapters in behalf of the town or city or regional school district, shall also designate the class of employees or the nature of the employment to which the provisions of those chapters shall apply.

(b)  Upon the passage of any vote of acceptance the town or city clerk or regional committee secretary, as the case may be, shall file a certified copy of that vote with the director, and that filing shall be deemed on the part of that town, city, or regional school district a sufficient compliance with the provisions of § 28-29-8 requiring notice of the election of an employer to become subject to its provisions.

(c)  If the vote does not designate the class of employees or the nature of the employment to which the provisions of chapters 29 — 38 of this title are to apply, then those provisions shall apply to all employees of the town, city, or regional school district in behalf of which the vote is passed, except those employees who are excluded under the definition of employees set forth in § 28-29-2.

(d)  The filing of a copy of the vote as provided in this section shall render the town, city, or regional school district in behalf of which that vote is filed subject to the provisions of those chapters in accordance with that vote for the term of one year from the date of that filing, and subsequently for successive terms of one year, unless the vote of acceptance is rescinded by the electors or the town council of the town, the city council of that city, or the school committee, and a certified copy of that rescission shall be filed with the director at least sixty (60) days prior to the expiration of the first of each succeeding year.