New Workplace Rules: California Workers’ Comp Regulation Changes

On August 10, 2010, the Office of Administrative Law approved several changes that affect California employers effective October 8, 2010:

• Updated Posting Notices (DWC-7) must be used.
• Notification of Rights Materials Regarding the insurance carrier MPN must be posted.
• MPN Implementation Notices are revised, as are options on how to distribute.
• New Hire Pamphlets, Workers’ Comp Claim Forms (DWC-1), and Claim Form & Notice of Potential Eligibility (DWC-1) have been updated.

Instructions on how to obtain all of the materials affected by these regulation changes should already have been sent to policyholders by their Workers’ Compensation insurance carriers.  As these forms are insurance carrier specific, policyholders must use the forms provided by that carrier via download from their website or mailed from them.

If you are a client of ours and have not received these materials, or instructions on how to download them, please contact your agent right away and we can help you!  Policyholders who fail to comply with the new notice requirements by October 8th could be fined $7,000 and lose medical control when an employee sustains an on-the-job injury or illness.