The California Workers’ Compensation Institute (CWCI) announced it has newly revised DWC-1 claim form/Notice of Potential Eligibility (NOPE), as well as English and Spanish versions of its new hire pamphlet (Facts About Workers’ Compensation) and its workers’ compensation posting notice (If A Work Injury Occurs), which insurance agents can distribute to their customers to help them comply with updated employee notice requirements.
The posting requirements take effect in early October, and will be used to inform employees of their rights and obligations under California workers’ compensation law.
The revisions affecting the DWC-1 Claim Form/Notice of Potential Eligibility (NOPE), the new hire pamphlets, and the posting notices that must be displayed at California work sites were included along with new Medical Provider Network (MPN) notice requirements, all of which take effect October 8. Employers should continue to use current versions of the new hire pamphlets, posting notices and claim forms until that date, at which point those materials should be disposed of and replaced with updated versions.
The amended regulations approved last month require more details on MPNs, add information on changing physicians, eliminate references to vocational rehabilitation, revise the state’s website references, update Spanish translations and make other changes intended to streamline the forms. Insured and self-insured employers are subject to the posting notice and pamphlet requirements, and failure to provide employees with current information can lead to severe penalties, including loss of employer medical control, civil penalties of up to $7,000 for each violation of the posting requirement and a tolling of the statute of limitations for filing claims.
Anyone who needs to obtain the updated materials prior to the October 8 effective date, or who needs more information can visit www.cwci.org. The Institute also plans to hold a 1-day seminar on the new notice requirements and other recent regulatory changes next month.
Insurance Journal Academy of Insurance Class on Workers’ Compensation
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