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Sundby v. City of St. Peter3/17/2005
mount); Modern Plating Co. v. Whitton, 394 So.2d 515, 517 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App.) (holding that the workers' compensation offset includes total social security disability benefits received by claimant and his dependents), rev. denied, 402 So.2d 614 (Fla. 1981); Samuels, supra § 9:29 at 9-30 (stating that the social security offset against workers' compensation benefits includes the claimant's disability benefits plus any auxiliary benefits payable on the same account).
We have said that "offsets aimed at preventing duplicate benefits must be read with the basic purposes of each system in mind." Potucek, 535 N.W.2d at 336. Bearing in mind the purposes of the state and federal systems and the reciprocal nature of the offsets, we conclude that the inclusion of SSDI child's benefits in calculating the reduction of state workers' compensation benefits advances the legislature's intent to reduce the state's compensation burden by taking advantage of the workers' compensation government benefits offset to its fullest extent. Accordingly, we hold that SSDI child's benefits are to be included when calculating the amount of the reduction in an employer's payment of workers' compensation benefits under Minn. Stat. § 176.101, subd. 4.
II.
The Fund makes the argument that the WCCA exceeded its authority in examining the Social Security Act. The WCCA's jurisdiction does not extend to interpreting or applying legislation designed specially for the handling of claims outside the workers' compensation system. Taft v. Advance United Expressways, 464 N.W.2d 725, 727 (Minn. 1991) (holding that the jurisdiction of the WCCA did not extend to interpreting or applying the law related to claims against the Minnesota Insurance Guaranty Association). In that Minn. Stat. § 176.101, subd. 4, is a means for the coordination of workers' compensation with the federal social security system, the WCCA looked to federal law for instruction in ascertaining the appropriate inclusion of SSDI benefits in the workers' compensation benefits offset calculation. We conclude that the WCCA neither construed nor applied federal law and therefore the Fund's argument on this point lacks merit.
Affirmed.
ANDERSON, G. Barry, J., not having been a member of the court at the time of submission, took no part in the consideration or decision of this case.
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