The Oklahoma Workers' Compensation Commission (WCC) recently voted to adopt an updated organizational chart and change the names of an internal division and a working group. The changes are intended to more accurately reflect the actual services provided by the WCC.

The division name of Insurance Services is changing to "Permitting Services."

Chairman Mark Liotta explained the reason for the change in a written statement: "We regularly get calls about securing workers' compensation insurance coverage. The WCC does not issue, regulate or involve ourselves in any way with the purchase or selling of insurance."

Newly named Permitting Services Division

Liotta further noted that "The newly named Permitting Services Division is a regulatory arm of the WCC. Among other regulatory functions, it analyzes applications for individual companies or groups who wish to self-insure, or offer third-party administration, and either issues or denies permits or certificates. We inherited the Insurance Services name from the previous Workers' Compensation Court, and it has been confusing to our customers to continue to refer to that division as Insurance Services."

The WCC was created as an administrative agency to replace the former Workers' Compensation Court as a result of a change in the Oklahoma law effective Feb. 1, 2014.

Case Commencement group

To provide additional clarity to the public, the WCC has changed the name of the working group previously known as "Form 3" to "Case Commencement." In his statement, Liotta said, "Form 3 means nothing to the public. The Form 3 is just one vehicle for case commencement. This group processes all forms or initiatives through which a workers' compensation case is commenced. Their logical name is Case Commencement, and we have made that change."

Permitting Services will no longer manage the Case Commencement because, as Liotta noted in the statement, there was no logical tie between Case Commencement and Permitting Services. That management association was a result of happenstance. "They more logically belong under the management of Legal Operations, and we have made that change," he added

The WCC advises the public that anyone seeking confirmation of an employer's workers' compensation coverage, should contact the Case Commencement group.

What's changed

The name changes and new organization chart became effective Dec. 14, 2017; all modifications of website and email were effective Jan. 1, 2018. Employees of the renamed departments with keep their existing phone numbers and remain in their current offices. In addition:

  • Applications for Own Risk, Third-Party Administrators, Self-Insurance Groups, Municipalities, Additions to Groups, Reserve Distribution from Groups, Changes in Letters of Credit, and Certificates of Non-Coverage will continue to be processed by Permitting Services.
  • Case Commencement will now be managed by Legal Operations.

Unlike other states with stricter workers' compensation coverage rules, in Oklahoma, employers may buy their insurance from a private insurance company, according to the WCC. Employers may also opt out of the state system by obtaining approval from the WCC to become a self-insured employer, by becoming a member of a commission-approved group self-insurance association, or by becoming a "qualified employer," with approval by the Oklahoma Insurance Department.

For more information about the WCC please visit the website.

NOT FOR REPRINT

© Arc, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to TMSalesOperations@arc-network.com. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.