§ 31-272 — Protection of rights and benefits.

(a) Waiver of rights void. No agreement by an employee to waive, release or commute his rights to benefits or any other rights under this chapter shall be valid. No agreement by an employee or by employees to pay all or any portion of an employer's contributions required under this chapter from such employer shall be valid. No employer shall, directly or indirectly, make or require or accept any deduction from the remuneration of individuals in his employ in order to finance the contributions required from such employer, or require or accept any waiver by an employee of any right hereunder. (b) Limitation on fees and costs. Registration of and rules of conduct for authorized agents. (1) Neither the administrator nor his representatives nor the board and its referees nor any court or officer thereof shall charge or tax any fees or costs against any employee or employer in any proceeding regarding claims for benefits under this chapter, except the record fee on appeal to the Appellate Court; but when any appeal is taken to the Superior Court from the finding of the board and such appeal is found by said court to be frivolous, said court may tax costs in its discretion against the appellant. (2) Any party to any proceeding before the administrator, an examiner, a referee or the board, may be represented by an attorney or authorized agent; but no attorney or authorized agent for an individual claiming benefits shall charge or receive for such services more than that amount approved by the administrator, or by the examiner, subject to revision by the administrator, by the referee or by the board before whom the proceedings are held, as the case may be. (3) No authorized agent may represent any party before a referee or the board for a fee unless the agent is registered with the board. The board shall adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, containing rules for the conduct of authorized agents, including, but not limited to, individuals, organizations and businesses, that provide representation to parties before a referee or the board for a fee. The regulations shall require the registration of all such authorized agents in such manner as the board deems appropriate and shall establish penalties, including a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars per violation and revocation of registration, for the failure of any authorized agent to follow the rules of conduct established by the board. Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to affect the practice of authorized agents representing parties before a referee or the board for a fee prior to the effective date of such regulations. (c) Limitations on assignment or garnishment of benefits. Except as provided in subsection (h) of section 31-227 , no assignment, pledge or encumbrance of any rights to benefits which are or may become due or payable under this chapter shall be valid; and such rights to benefits shall be exempt from levy, execution, attachment or any other process for the collection of debt until such benefits have been actually received by the employee. No waiver of any exemption provided for in this subsection shall be valid.

Legislative History

(1949 Rev., S. 7542; P.A. 74-339, S. 31, 36; P.A. 82-361, S. 7; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-29, S. 29, 82; P.A. 91-250, S. 1, 2.) History: P.A. 74-339 replaced references to commissioners with references to the board and its referees; P.A. 82-361 amended Subsec. (c) to allow the garnishment of benefits for child support obligations, as provided in Sec. 31-227; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-29 deleted reference to supreme court and substituted appellate court in lieu thereof in Subsec. (b); P.A. 91-250 amended Subsec. (b) by changing the term “counsel” to “attorney” and making technical changes in Subdiv. (2) and adding Subdiv. (3) re registration of and rules of conduct for authorized agents, effective July 1, 1992. Cited. 128 C. 220. Cited. 17 CS 146; 42 CS 376. Subsec. (b): Effect on the speed and fairness of the resolution of contested claims. 175 C. 269. Cited. 192 C. 581.