SECTION 30G. Meetings with injured employees requiring vocational rehabilitation services

The office of education and vocational rehabilitation shall contact and meet with each injured employee who it believes may require vocational rehabilitation services in order to return to suitable employment. Any such employee who refuses to meet with the office of education and vocational rehabilitation shall not be entitled to weekly compensation benefits during the period of such refusal. An insurer may reduce by fifteen percent the weekly benefits payable to any employee deemed suitable for vocational rehabilitation services by said office when such employee refuses such services, during the period of such refusal. No lump sum settlement shall be reached between an insurer and any employee who has been deemed suitable for vocational rehabilitation services by the office of education and vocational rehabilitation who has not completed an appropriate rehabilitation program pursuant to this section thirty, without the express written consent of said office. Any employee aggrieved by a reduction in weekly benefits or the prohibition of a lump sum settlement under this section may file a claim for reinstatement of such benefits or removal of such prohibition; provided, however, that compensation shall not be reinstated nor the settlement allowed unless the claimant demonstrates that no vocational rehabilitation program of any kind would be appropriate for such claimant.

The commissioner shall provide by rule a procedure for promptly following up on such meeting by assisting an employee who needs rehabilitation services to obtain such services from the insurer, and shall monitor the progress of rehabilitation agreements and programs.