Texas Work Comp ‘Notice to Employees’ Language Changes Jan. 1

State law requires Texas employers to notify employees if they carry workers’ compensation insurance. The TDI-DWC recently adopted amendments to 28 Texas Administrative Code ยง110.101 (relating to Covered and Non-Covered Employer Notices to Employees) that includes new language that employers must use on or after Jan. 1, 2013, when notifying employees of workers’ compensation insurance coverage.

Employers are required to provide a written notice of coverage to new employees upon hire. The written notice must inform employees of their right to reject workers’ compensation insurance coverage and retain their common law right of action. This notice must use the wording and be in the format prescribed by TDI-DWC’s New Employee Notice.

Employers must also post a written notice at their place of business telling their employees that they carry workers’ compensation insurance. The notice must be in English, Spanish and any other language that is common to the employees and must be posted at conspicuous locations at the employers’ place of business. This notice must use the wording and be in the format prescribed by the TDI-DWC’s Notice 6, Notice of Employee Concerning Workers’ Compensation in Texas.

Employers certified by the TDI-DWC as self-insured employers must use the wording and format prescribed by the TDI-DWC’s Notice 7, Notice of Employee Concerning Workers’ Compensation in Texas. Employers who are members of a self-insurance group must use the wording and format prescribed by the TDI-DWC’s Notice 10, Notice of Employee Concerning Workers’ Compensation in Texas.

More information may be found online at: http://www.tdi.texas.gov/news/2012/news2012112.html .