1. If an injured employee is discharged from his or her employment as a result of misconduct, an insurer may deny compensation for temporary total disability to the injured employee because of that discharge for misconduct only if the insurer proves by a preponderance of the evidence that:
(a) The injured employee was discharged from his or her employment solely for the employee’s misconduct and not for any reason relating to the employee’s claim for compensation; and
(b) It is the injured employee’s discharge from his or her employment for misconduct, and not the injury, that is the sole cause for the injured employee’s inability to return to work with the preinjury employer.
2. An insurer waives its rights under subsection 1 if the insurer does not make a determination to deny or suspend compensation to the injured employee within 70 days after the date on which the insurer learns that the injured employee has been discharged for misconduct.
3. An insurer may not deny any compensation pursuant to this section except for compensation for temporary total disability pursuant to subsection 1.
4. Discharge from employment for reasons other than gross misconduct does not limit an injured employee’s entitlement to receive benefits for temporary total disability.
(Added to NRS by 2007, 3343; A 2009, 1281, 3033)