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Division of Workers' Compensation

News and Updates

July 2010
  • Charts on the Compliance statistics section have been updated
  • A new bulletin has been added Informational Memoranda, regarding Revisions to s.440.491, (6) (a), Florida Statutes (Training and Education); Administrative Rule Revisions Pursuant to Opinion of Small Business Regulatory Advisory Council; and the Electronic Data Submission under Rule 6A-22.003 (2), Florida Administrative Code.
  • The Bureau of Compliance is offering Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Workers' Compensation Compliance Seminars in the Florida panhandle. Topics to be addressed will include Florida workers’ compensation coverage requirements, independent contractors, employer/employee relationships, out of state employer coverage requirements, and US Longshore & Harbor Workers Act enforcement authority. See Flyer [283K PDF] for seminar dates and locations.
  • The Division of Workers' Compensation has developed several web-based benefit calculators, available in the Employee section. The calculators can be used by anyone, but are specifically designed to assist injured employees in estimating their wage replacement benefits. They are highly interactive and will assist injured employees in understanding how temporary disability and impairment benefits are determined.
    In addition, the calculators include links to the relevant sections in Chapter 440, F.S., and Rule 69L, F.A.C, that further educate injured employees on wage replacement benefits.
  • The Division's Bureau of Compliance is pleased to publish its inaugural Quarterly Newsletter. This Newsletter provides the Bureau with an opportunity to share its activities, new initiatives, administrative rule changes and updates as well as general information. The Bureau will publish a quarterly newsletter at the conclusion of each quarter. July 2010 Newsletter [374K PDF]
  • The Medical EDI area has been re-done to coincide with changes in Revision E which went into effect on July 8, 2010
  • A Workshop on the Notice of Proposed Rule Amendment [10K PDF] for the Division of Workers’ Compensation Rule 69L-6.021, Construction Industry Classification Codes, Descriptions and Operations Scope of Exemption, Florida Administrative Code, will be held on Thursday, July 15, 2010 @ 2:00 pm in Room 104J, Hartman Building, 2012 Capital Circle SE, Tallahassee, Florida. The proposed rule amendment deletes discontinued class codes, adds new class codes and revises descriptions of class codes, as published in the Florida exception pages in the National Council on Compensation Insurance, Inc. (NCCI), Basic Manual (January 2010 edition). In addition, the amendment defines when an employer is engaged in the construction industry, for purposes of the rule. As class codes are revised, added or deleted in the Basic Manual, the rule must be amended to accurately reflect and incorporate such changes.
  • The Office of Medical Services contact information has been updated
  • The Rule Amendment for the Division of Workers’ Compensation Rule 69L-6.012, Notice of Election to be Exempt, Florida Administrative Code, has been adopted and will become effective on July 5, 2010. The rule, as amended, authorizes the immediate revocation of a Certificate of Election to be Exempt for any corporation engaged in the non-construction industry that becomes dissolved or inactive. The amendment also provides for the immediate revocation of Certificates issued to persons engaged in the non-construction industry that are no longer meeting the exemption eligibility requirements.
  • Assessments page updated (located in the Insurer section)
June 2010
  • New Informational Memorandum: DFS-02-2010 [69K PDF] - Order Setting Assessment Rate for the Workers' Compensation Administration Trust Fund For Calendar Year 2011
  • An updated list of the EOBR Code Restrictions is available in the Medical EDI area
  • Last year's Annual Report on Reimbursement Disputes and Overutilization [93K PDF] has been moved to Publications and Manuals
  • The Bureau of Operations Support section has been updated
  • A new graphic linking to the Compliance Stop-Work Order database has been added to Employer section
  • EDI statistics (paper vs. electronic submissions) updated
  • A Hearing on the Notice of Proposed Rule Amendment for the Division of Workers’ Compensation Rule 69L-6.026, Periodic Reports, Florida Administrative Code, will be held on Thursday, July 15, 2010 @ 10:00 am in Room 104J, Hartman Building, 2012 Capital Circle SE, Tallahassee, Florida. The purpose of the proposed rule is to establish procedures for filing periodic reports by employers issued Stop-Work Orders for failing to comply with the coverage requirements of Chapter 440, F.S., where assessed penalties exceed $50,000.00. As a condition of release from a Stop-Work Order, subject employers must submit quarterly reports to the Department using new form DFS-F4-2018, “Bureau of Compliance Quarterly Report Form,” to document their continuing compliance with the coverage requirements of Chapter 440, F.S.
    If you have any questions about the proposed rule amendment, please contact: Tasha Carter, Chief, Bureau of Compliance, Division of Workers’ Compensation, (850) 413-1878, Tasha.Carter@myfloridacfo.com.
  • New info and documents have been added to the Claims EDI (non-medical) section
  • A Workshop on the Notice of Proposed Rule Amendment [11K PDF] for the Division of Workers’ Compensation Rule 69L-6.007, Compensation Notice, Florida Administrative Code, will be held on Tuesday, June 29, 2010 @ 1:00 pm in Room 2100, Alexander Building, 2020 Capital Circle SE, Tallahassee, Florida. Section 440.40, F.S., requires every employer who has secured workers' compensation insurance to post in its place of business a workers' compensation notice and an Anti-Fraud Reward Program notice. Section 440.40, F.S., also authorizes the Department, by rule, to prescribe the form of the notices and to require carriers to provide the notices to policyholders. Currently, Rule 69L-6.007, F.A.C., requires carriers to furnish employers with a compensation notice, commonly referred to as the "broken arm poster" and incorporates the Anti-Fraud Reward Program notice poster. The purpose of the proposed rule amendment is to update the rule and adopt the revised workers' compensation notice posters, including the Spanish version of the poster.
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
  • The Division is offering free classes to educate employers, business owners, licensed contractors and other interested stakeholders to help them understand their statutory obligations under the Workers' Compensation Law. The Division is partnering with the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to provide employers with information relating to both workers’ compensation and workplace safety. Continuing Education Units are available to individuals licensed by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, the Department of Financial Services, Bureau of Fire Prevention and the Florida Water Well Administration. The attached flyer lists class dates and locations around the State. Advanced registration is required to assure availability.
  • Bureau of Compliance contact information and district offices have been updated
  • Charts on the Compliance statistics section have been updated
  • New forms and instructions have been added to the Billing Forms and Instructions page of the Health Care Provider section
  • The Claims EDI (non-medical) section has been updated
  • Consumer Alert: Please be aware that individuals who are interested in filing for a new workers' compensation exemption or are seeking to renew their current exemption may receive solicitations from a private company offering exemption filing services.
    These services are not free and not considered as the official exemption application package that is available and mailed to individuals from the Division of Workers' Compensation. Payments made to entities other than the Division do not take the place of required fees owed to the Division for processing exemption applications. These solicitations direct you to a website that IS NOT the Division's website. The Division of Workers' Compensation is the sole authority that is responsible for processing and approving workers' compensation exemption applications.
February 2010
  • Rule Chapter 69L-5, F.A.C., Rules for Self-Insurers Under the Workers Compensation Act, has been amended to concurrently repeal and replace all existing rules with new rules which have been restructured and renumbered to promote clarity and efficiencies to the process by which self-insured employers comply with the duties and obligations associated with the privilege of self-insuring pursuant to Chapter 440, Florida Statutes.
    The final adopted version of this rule is effective March 9, 2010. A copy of the rule text may be found at www.flrules.org/gateway/chapterhome.asp?chapter=69l-5. If you have any questions about the proposed rule, please contact Robin Ippolito, Chief, Bureau of Monitoring and Audit, Division of Workers' Compensation at (850)413-1775 or robin.ippolito@myfloridacfo.com.
  • A Workshop on the Notice of Proposed Rule Development [12K PDF] for the Division of Workers’ Compensation Rule 69L-6.026, Periodic Reports, Florida Administrative Code, will be held on Tuesday, March 30, 2010; 10:00 am – 12:00 pm in Room 104J Hartman Building., 2012 Capital Circle SE, Tallahassee, Florida. The purpose of the proposed rule is to establish procedures regarding the filing of periodic reports by employers that have been issued a Stop-Work Order for failure to comply with the coverage requirements of Chapter 440, F.S., and assessed a penalty in excess of $50,000.00. As a condition of their release from a Stop-Work Order, subject employers must submit quarterly reports to the Department using form DFS-F4-2018, “Bureau of Compliance Quarterly Report Form,” to demonstrate their continuing compliance with the coverage requirements of Chapter 440, F.S.
    If you have any questions about the proposed Rule, please contact Tasha Carter, Chief, Bureau of Compliance, Division of Workers’ Compensation at (850) 413-1609 or Tasha.Carter@myfloridacfo.com.
  • The Claims EDI (non-medical) section has been updated with new information and documents
  • EDI statistics (paper vs. electronic submissions) updated
  • The 69L-7 (Workers' Compensation Medical Reimbursement and Utilization Review)  tab on the Rules and Forms page has been reworked with updated information and forms
  • Several new documents are available in the Medical EDI section
January 2010
December 2009
  • The newly updated Employee Notification Letter is available. See Publications and Reimbursement Manuals for more information.
  • The Division is offering free classes to educate employers, business owners, licensed contractors and other interested stakeholders to help them understand their statutory obligations under the Workers' Compensation Law. The Division is partnering with the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to provide employers with information relating to both workers’ compensation and workplace safety. Continuing Education Units are available to individuals licensed by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, the Department of Financial Services, Bureau of Fire Prevention and the Florida Water Well Administration. The attached flyer lists class dates and locations around the State. Advanced registration is required to assure availability. For additional information, bocseminars@myfloridacfo.com or call (850) 221-6518.
  • The Division of Insurance Fraud, Bureau of Workers' Compensation Fraud and the Division of Workers' Compensation, Bureau of Compliance issued a Joint Report summarizing their respective efforts and activities in combating workers' compensation fraud and employer non-compliance for the period of July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009.
  • New Informational Memorandum: DFS-05-2009 [28K PDF] - Maximum Workers' Compensation Rate, Effective January 1, 2010
  • EDI statistics (paper vs. electronic submissions) updated
November 2009
  • The Division will hold a rule hearing on Rule 69L-7.501, FAC on Wednesday, December 2, 2009 @ 1:30 PM in 104J Hartman Building, 2012 Capital Circle SE, Tallahassee, FL, if a hearing is requested in writing within 21 days of the Notice of Proposed Rule. The title of the rule is the Florida Workers' Compensation Reimbursement Manual for Hospitals. » More info
  • Draft informational documents for Revision E are available under Medical EDI
  • A Notice of Change for Rule 69L-7.602, Florida Administrative Code, was published in the Friday, November 13, 2009, Florida Administrative Weekly. The rule, titled the Florida Workers' Compensation Medical Services, Billing, Filing and Reporting Rule, includes changes that have been made to address concerns expressed at the public hearing and in response to written comments received from the Joint Administrative Procedures Committee. » More info
  • The Division of Workers' Compensation will hold a rule development workshop on Wednesday, December 2, 2009 @ 9:00 AM in 104J Hartman Building, 2012 Capital Circle Southeast, Tallahassee, Florida. The title of the rule is Carrier Report of Health Care Provider Violations. » More info
October 2009
  • The Injured Worker FAQs have been updated
  • Compliance statistics updated
  • A Spanish version [560K PowerPoint] of the Injured Worker Workshop slideshow is now available on the Employee Education and Information page
  • EDI statistics (paper vs. electronic submissions) updated
  • Bureau of Compliance district offices information has been updated
  • The Division is pleased to announce the continuation of Employer Seminars regarding Workers' Compensation and Workplace Safety (presented by OSHA). These seminars are designed to assist Florida employers in understanding their rights and responsibilities under the Florida Workers' Compensation law and in providing a Safe Workplace for their employees. The seminars are free and are offered in several locations throughout Florida. In addition, 4 seminars (in various locations) will be presented in the Spanish language. More details can be found on the Employer Education page. You are welcome to disseminate the flyer and registration forms to anyone you believe may be interested in attending.
September 2009
  • DWC FWCI Conference PowerPoint Slides (August 2009) [5.8MB PowerPoint]
  • A Hearing on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for the Division of Workers' Compensation Rule 69L-6.012, Notice of Election to be Exempt, Florida Administrative Code, will be held, if requested within 21 days of the date the notice is published. The Notice was published in the September 18, 2009, Florida Administrative Weekly. If requested, the hearing will be held on Wednesday, October 14, 2009; 10:00 am – 12:00 pm in Room 104J Hartman Building., 2012 Capital Circle SE, Tallahassee, Florida. If a hearing is not requested, it will not be held. For additional information, please contact Tasha Carter at (850) 413-1878 or Tasha.Carter@myfloridacfo.com.
  • EDI Training PowerPoint Slides [1.9MB PowerPoint] from the DWC FWCI Conference are available on the Claims EDI page
  • The Division of Workers' Compensation has published its 2009 Annual Report [2.5MB PDF] and it is now available under Publications and Manuals. The Annual Report contains a summary of the Division’s activities and accomplishments for fiscal year 2008/2009.
  • Compliance statistics have been updated
  • The 2009 4th quarter schedule for the Division's free classes regarding Florida’s Workers' Compensation law and Workplace Safety is available. For more information see the Employer Education section.
  • Claims EDI section updated
  • The Injured Worker Frequently Asked Questions page has been updated
  • The Florida Division of Workers’ Compensation and Division of Risk Management announce a free two day EDI training class October 6, 7, and 8, 2009 in Tallahassee on the Claims EDI Release 3 mandate, and EDI Rule (69L-56, F.A.C.). Seating is limited to 75, and prior registration is required. Registration preference will be given to those who have previously submitted a request for future training and those who have not previously attended an EDI training class. Please complete and return the EDI Training Registration form to the Division. » Get form
August 2009
  • An updated Health Care Provider Tutorial [1.5MB PowerPoint] is available
  • The Division of Workers' Compensation announces the publication of Informational Bulletin DFS-02-2009 issued on August 12, 2009. This bulletin deals with employer/carrier reimbursement decisions regarding pharmaceuticals dispensed by Florida licensed physicians. All Division bulletins are available under Informational Memoranda.
  • EDI statistics (paper vs. electronic submissions) updated
  • Rule 69L-6.025 - Conditional Release of Stop-Work Order and Periodic Payment Agreement was amended effective July 20, 2009. The amendment provides new language that outlines the terms and conditions under which an employer qualifies to enter into a new Payment Agreement Schedule For Periodic Payment of Penalty.
  • The recently available Non-Compliance Referral Database allows individuals to submit referrals of alleged violations of the workers’ compensation laws. Since June the Division has received 328 referrals. As a result of those referrals, 36 Stop-Work Orders were issued, resulting in $526,000 in assessed penalties. See the Databases section for all Division applications.
  • Audio files from the July workshops (69L-7.501 - Florida Workers' Compensation Reimbursement Manual for Hospitals and 69L-7.602 - Florida Workers' Compensation Medical Services Billing, Filing and Reporting Rule) are available under Draft Rules
July 2009

For older news, see the News Archive.