(1) All persons registered at a college and participating as unpaid trainees in a work experience program who are subject to the direction of noncollege-employed supervisors, and those trainees participating in college directed professional education projects, are considered workers of the college subject to this chapter for purposes of this section. However, trainees who are covered by the Federal Employees Compensation Act shall not be subject to the provisions of this section.
(2) A college conducting a work experience program or college directed professional education project shall submit a written statement to the insurer, or in the case of self-insurers, to the Director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, that includes a description of the work to be performed by such persons and an estimate of the total number of persons enrolled in the program or project.
(3) Persons covered under this section are entitled to the benefits of this chapter. However, such persons are not entitled to benefits under ORS 656.210 or 656.212. They are entitled to such benefits if injured as provided in ORS 656.156 and 656.202 while performing any duties arising out of and in the course of their participation in the work experience program or college directed professional education project, provided the duties being performed are among those:
(a) Described on the application of the college; and
(b) Required of similar full-time paid employees.
(4) The filing of claims for benefits under this section is the exclusive remedy of a trainee or a beneficiary of the trainee for injuries compensable under this chapter against the state, its political subdivisions, the college district board, members, officers and employees of the board or any employer, regardless of negligence.
(5) A college may elect to make trainees subject to this chapter for college directed professional education projects not enumerated in subsection (8) of this section or for work experience programs under the direction of college-employed supervisors by filing a written request with the insurer of the college, or in the case of self-insured colleges, with the director. Coverage under such election shall become effective no sooner than the date of receipt by the insurer. The coverage request shall include a description of the work to be performed and an estimate of the number of participating trainees. The insurer or director shall accept a request that meets the criteria of this section.
(6) The provisions of this section shall be inapplicable to any trainee who has earned wages for such employment.
(7) As used in this section, “college” means any community college district or community college service district as defined in ORS chapter 341.
(8) As used in this section, “college directed professional education project” means an assigned on-campus or off-campus project that is a component of a program approved by the college board or the operating procedures of the State Board of Education and involves work that provides practical experience beyond the initial instruction and demonstration phases, performed outside of the college classroom or laboratory environment and requiring substantial hands-on participation by trainees. Such projects are further limited to logging, silvicultural thinning, slash burning, fire fighting, stream enhancement, woodcutting, reforestation, tree surgery, construction, printing and manufacturing involving formed metals. [1991 c.534 §3; 1993 c.18 §139; 1995 c.343 §53]
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