From and after the passage and effective date of the Workers' Compensation Act, all the provisions of the Workers' Compensation Act of this state, Sections 1 et seq. of this title, shall apply to employers and to employees, irrespective of where accident resulting in injury may occur, whether within or without the territorial limits of the State of Oklahoma, when the contract of employment was entered into within the State of Oklahoma, and the said employee was acting in the course of such employment and performing work outside the territorial limits of this state under direction of such employer. In such case the injured employee may elect to commence and maintain his action for benefits and compensation in the State of Oklahoma as provided in the Workers' Compensation Act and the Court is hereby vested with jurisdiction thereof as fully as if such injury or accident had occurred within this state. Such right of election shall, however, not preclude the injured employee from recovering any benefits or compensation provided under any law of the state where injury occurred, and if such action be so commenced in such other state, or under the law of another state, and is prosecuted to final determination, such employee shall thereupon be precluded from his right of action under the Workers' Compensation Act of this state. Provided, the injured employee may exercise his right of election to file his claim or commence his said action or proceeding in the State of Oklahoma, at any time prior to final adjudication or determination of his rights under the laws of another state, and the fact that he shall have been furnished or provided with medical, surgical, hospital or other treatment care, or paid temporary disability compensation in such other state, or under the laws thereof, shall not preclude such injured employee from recovering further benefits and compensation under the Workers' Compensation Act of this state. Provided, further, no award made by the Court of this state shall include any compensation paid by the employer or insurance carrier before commencement of the action or proceeding in this state and any payments so made shall be treated as compensation voluntarily paid and credit therefor shall be allowed.

The State of Oklahoma accepts the provisions of the Acts of Congress designated as Public Law No. 814, 49 Statutes 1938, and hereby extends the territorial jurisdiction of the Workers' Compensation Act of this state to all lands and premises owned or held by the Government of the United States of America, by deed or act of cession, by purchase or otherwise, which are within the exterior boundaries of this state, and to all purchases, buildings, constructions, improvements or property belonging to the Government of the United States of America, which are within the exterior boundaries of this state, in the same manner and to the same extent as if said premises were under the exclusive jurisdiction of the State of Oklahoma, subject only to the limitations placed thereon by the Act of Congress.

Added by Laws 1941, SB 260, p. 476, § 1, emerg. eff. June 4, 1941; Amended by Laws 1955, HB 734, p. 485, § 1; Amended by Laws 1977, HB 1228, c. 234, § 13, eff. July 1, 1978.