Recreational Marine Employment Act of 2002

H.R. 4811, the Recreational Marine Employment Act of 2002, proposes to change which workers are covered by the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA), a federal program that provides benefits to maritime employees. The bill would exempt individuals who work at recreational marine facilities or those involved in the construction, maintenance, and sale of recreational boats from federal coverage, provided their employers comply with state workers' compensation laws.

For citizens working in the recreational boating industry, this shift means their workplace injury or disability claims would be handled under state-level insurance systems rather than the federal system. The bill also clarifies legal procedures for negligence lawsuits, ensuring that these specific maritime workers follow different litigation rules than those designated as professional "seamen" under federal law.