Friday, August 28, 2015

Power Points from DWC

The Florida Division of Workers' Compensation recently participated in the 70th Annual Workers' Compensation Educational Conference with the Workers' Compensation Institute, in Orlando, Florida.  The Division's breakout session included the following topics: Legislative Updates, What Injured Workers Are Telling Us, Audits and Carrier Compliance, Medical Services and EDI Updates.  If you were unable to attend or would like to view the presentations, the Division power point has been published as a .PDF at http://www.myfloridacfo.com/Division/WC/news.htm.  Please contact Brittany O'Neil at 850-413-1927 with any questions.

To learn more about these issues and other Workers' Compensation information click here: http://www.myfloridacfo.com/Division/WC/

To remove yourself from the DWC Notification list and STOP e-mail Alerts sent to your e-mail address at david.langham@doah.state.fl.us, click the following link and unsubscribe your e-mail address: http://www.myfloridacfo.com/WCAPPS/Mail_List/Mail_List_Reg.asp

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Amendments to 69L-6.015 and 69L-6.025

The Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Workers' Compensation has adopted the following rules with an effective date of September 6, 2015:

69L-6.015 - Record Maintenance and Production Requirements for Employers
69L-6.025 - Conditional Release of Stop-Work Order and Periodic Payment Agreement

These rules are amended to conform to applicable provisions of Section 440.107, F.S., as revised under Chapter No. 2014-109, Laws of Florida.  Rule 69L-6.015, F.A.C., reduces the business record retention period requirements for employers under Florida's Workers' Compensation law to a period consisting of an employer's two, rather than three, years of employment activity.  Rule 69L-6.025, F.A.C., modifies the terms and conditions under which the Department's Division of Workers' Compensation is authorized to issue an Agreed Order of Conditional Release from Stop-Work Order to employers who violate Chapter 440, F.S., as well as the circumstances under which such orders will be reinstated and rescinded. The proposed rule also incorporates a new form, and revises existing forms.


Director Sought for District Court Workers' Compensation Unit

Director of Workers’ Compensation Unit 
The Director of the Workers’ Compensation Unit provides supervisory administrative and legal work coordinating and overseeing the assignments and work product of staff attorneys assigned to the unit. Consistent with court policy, the Director develops procedures for efficient processing of all workers’ compensation cases filed with the court, assists in adopting means to implement those policies.  The Court’s goal is to have workers’ compensation cases resolved expeditiously, and to achieve decision uniformity.  To achieve these goals, the Directors reviews and has responsibility for all documents produced by the workers’ compensation unit.  The Director reports to the Chief Judge and participates in senior staff meetings and court conferences as required.  The Director, as a member of the unit, will analyze cases, prepare summaries with recommendations, and draft opinions based on the analyses.  The number of cases prepared by the Director will be adjusted to allow time for necessary administrative and unit oversight responsibilities. 
Salary is $86,130.00 

Please submit State of Florida Employment Application along with resume and transcripts to:

Marshal’s Office 
First District Court of Appeal
State of Florida
2000 Drayton Drive
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0950

CLOSING DATE:
September 25, 2015.at 5:00 p.m.

E.O.E. If an accommodation is needed to participate in the interview process, please call (850) 488-8136 in advance.   All employees of the Court are subject to background and fingerprint check.    

96 Bar members Presenting at the WCI Next Week.

Ninety-six members of The Florida Bar are presenting at the WCI in Orlando next week. NINETY-SIX! There could be a few more. I reviewed the program, page by page, and did my best to identify them all. If I missed someone, let me know. The annual WCI gathering is the largest workers’ compensation conference in the country. I am told that this year could see the largest turnout yet, as the conference celebrates its 70th anniversary.

There are a multitude of programs, National Trends, National Review, Safety, Multistate Workers’ Compensation Laws, and breakouts for medical providers, therapists, attorneys, adjusters, and risk managers.

It is the only workers’ compensation conference of which I know that hosts a national judicial college focused on the workers’ compensation adjudicator. This year the NAWCJ College will have over 100 adjudicators from across the country.

This conference also hosts the SAWCA Regulator College, an unparalleled gathering of regulators to discuss challenges of running workers’ compensation systems.

There is always something interesting at this conference, and that is due in large part to the many talented and exceptional attorneys participating. My congratulations and thanks go out to the following list of ninety-six Florida Bar Members participating in this event (with the individual program(s) noted). You make The Florida Bar, the Section, and the workers’ compensation community proud!

Gregg Anderson
Coker Law Group
Longshore

Paul M. Anderson
Anderson & Hart, P.A.
Attorney Breakout

Honorable Wilbur W. Anderson
Judge of Compensation Claims
Attorney Breakout

James R. Auffant
Law Office of James R. Auffant
Social Security

Robert L. Bamdas
Schouest, Bamdas, Soshea & Ben-Maier PLLC
Longshore

Honorable Diane Beck
Florida Office of Judges of Compensation Claims
Judicial College
Attorney Breakout

Geoffrey Bichler
Bichler, Kelley, Oliver & Longo, PLLC
Attorney Breakout

Honorable Ross L. Bilbrey
First District Court of Appeal
Adjuster Breakout

Michael Broussard
Broussard & Cullen, PA
First Responder Heart and Hypertension Claims

Carrie B. Cherveny 
AlphaStaff, Inc.
Professional Employer Organizations

R. Stephen Coonrod
McConnaughhay, Duffy, Coonrod, Pope, Weaver, Stern & Thomas P.A.
Adjuster Breakout

Richard A. Culbertson
Law Offices of Richard A. Culbertson
Social Security

Karen J. Cullen
Broussard & Cullen, PA
First Responder Heart and Hypertension Claims

John P. Daly
Rissman, Barrett, Hurt, Donahue & McLain, P.A.
Employment Law/Human Resources

Honorable Robert L. Dietz
Judge of Compensation Claims
Mediation

Michael Edwards
Peterson Bernard
Professional Employer Organizations

Linda Bond Edwards 
Rumberger, Kirk & Caldwell, P.A.
Professional Employer Organizations

Professor Charles W. Ehrhardt    
Florida State University School of Law
Judicial College

Linda Farrell
Boyd and Jenerette, P.A.
Adjuster Breakout

Brian S. Fischer
SUNZ Insurance Company, Inc.
Professional Employer Organizations

Jennifer Fowler-Hermes
Kunkel Miller & Hament
Professional Employer Organizations

Roy Franco
Franco Signor
Medicare Secondary Payer

Neal Gannon
Conroy Simberg
Medical Issues

Leopoldo Garcia, Jr.
Angones, McClure and Garcia, P.A.
Attorney Breakout

Mark H. Gelman
Eraclides, Gelman, Hall, Indek, Goodman & Waters
Temporary Staffing

Rafael Gonzalez
Helios
Mediation

Luis Gracia
Rue, Ziffra and Caldwell
Social Security

Howard S. Grossman
Grossman Attorneys at Law
Longshore

Christine Harter
Mediation & Dispute Resolution Center
Mediation

George Helm
Bolton and Helm, LLP
First Responder Heart and Hypertension Claims

Honorable Charles M. Hill
Judge of Compensation Claims
Attorney Breakout

Eric V. Hires
The Law Office of Eric V. Hires, LLC
Mediation

Silvia Hoeg
Office of the Judge of Compensation Claims
Mediation

D. Robert Hoyle
D. Robert Hoyle, P.A.
Mediation

Morgan A. Indek
Eraclides, Gelman, Hall, Indek, Goodman & Waters
Medical Breakout Sessions 

Jeffrey I. Jacobs
Malca and Jacobs, P.A.
Attorney Breakout

Daniel T. Jaffe
Rissman, Barrett, Hurt, Donahue & McLain, P.A.
Risk Managers

A. Michelle Jernigan
Upchurch, Watson, White & Max
Mediation

Gregory J. Johnsen
Division of Administrative Hearings
Mediation

H. George Kagan
Miller, Kagan, Rodriguez & Silver
National Review

Brian C. Karsen
Barnett, Lerner, Karsen and Frankel, P.A.
Longshore

Paul A. Kelley
Bichler, Kelley, Oliver & Longo, PLLC 
Attorney Breakout

Clyde “Chris” Killer
Law Offices of J. Christopher Norris
Mediation

Anna Marie Kim
Office of the Judge of Compensation Claims
Mediation

Ken Kugler
The Mediation Group
Mediation

Lawrence J. Langer
Mediation

Kristin Longberry
The Longberry Law Firm, P.A.
Professional Employer Organizations

Paolo Longo
Bichler, Kelley, Oliver & Longo, PLLC
Attorney Breakout
First Responder Heart and Hypertension Claims

Raymond A. Lopez
Rissman, Barrett, Hurt, Donahue & McLain, P.A.
Adjuster Breakout

Carmen Love
Law Office of Carmen Love
Social Security

Lori A. Lovgren, JD, CPCU
NCCI
Insurance Agents
Multistate WC Laws

Torben S. Madson, III
Kunkel Miller & Hament
Professional Employer Organizations

Mike Maida
Michael G. Maida, P.A.
Mediation

Honorable Scott D. Makar
First District Court of Appeal
Adjuster Breakout

Ramon Malca
Malca & Jacobs, P.A.
National Review

Lee W. Marcus
Marcus & Myers, P.A.
Mediation

Susan N. Marks
McConnaughhay, Duffy, Coonrod, Pope, Weaver, Stern & Thomas P.A.
Adjuster Breakout

Michael E. McCabe
Henderson Franklin
Attorney Breakout

James N. McConnaughhay
McConnaughhay, Duffy, Coonrod, Pope, Weaver, Stern & Thomas P.A.
Mediation

Jana E. McConnaughhay
Waldoch and McConnaughhay, P.A.
Social Security

David A. McCranie
McConnaughhay, Duffy, Coonrod, Pope, Weaver, Stern & Thomas P.A.
Multistate WC Laws

C. Wade McGuffey
Goodman, McGuffey, Lindsey and Johnson, LLP
Insurance Agents
Regulators College

Sean S. O’Connor
McConnaughhay, Duffy, Coonrod, Pope, Weaver, Stern & Thomas P.A.
Temporary Staffing

Tonya Oliver
Bichler, Kelley, Oliver & Longgo, PLLC
First Responder Heart and Hypertension Claims

Joanna Noriega Pino
Sioli Alexander Pino
Longshore

Honorable Neal Pitts
Judge of Compensation Claims
Attorney Breakout

Howard Pohl
Florida Department of Financial Services
Professional Employer Organizations

Mark Popolizio
ISO Claims Partners
Medicare Secondary Payer
Mediation

Marissa S. Pyle
McConnaughhay, Duffy, Coonrod, Pope, Weaver, Stern & Thomas P.A.
Multistate WC Laws

Amie Remington
Landrum Professional Employer Services, Inc.
Professional Employer Organizations

Honorable L. Clayton Roberts
First District Court of Appeal
Adjuster Breakout

William H. Rogner
Hurley, Rogner, Miller, Cox & Waranch, P.A.
Attorney Breakout

Rodney G. Romano
Matrix Mediation, LLC
Mediation

Honorable Stephen L. Rosen
Judge of Compensation Claims
Attorney Breakout

Honorable Lori S. Rowe
First District Court of Appeal
Adjuster Breakout

Heather Schwartz Sanderson
Franco Signor
Medicare Secondary Payer

Honorable Thomas W. Sculco
Judge of Compensation Claims
Attorney Breakout
First Responder Heart and Hypertension Claims

Benjamin D. Sharkey
Jackson Lewis P.C.
Temporary Staffing

Robin Caral Shaw
Law Office of Robin Caral Shaw, PA
Mediation

Christopher Shulman
Shulman ADR Law, P.A.
Mediation

Scott H. Silver
Miller, Kagan, Rodriguez & Silver, PL
Adjuster Breakout

Honorable Margaret Sojourner
Florida Office of Judges of Compensation Claims
Judicial College

E. Louis Stern
McConnaughhay, Duffy, Coonrod, Pope, Weaver, Stern & Thomas P.A.
Adjuster Breakout

Stuart F. Suskin  
Office of the Judge of Compensation Claims
Attorney Breakout
Mediation

Honorable Ronald V. Swanson
First District Court of Appeal
Adjuster Breakout

Jason C. Taylor
McConnaughhay, Duffy, Coonrod, Pope, Weaver, Stern & Thomas P.A.
Employment Law/Human Resources

Meah Tell
Meah Tell, P.A.
Mediation

Dawn R. Traverso
Eraclides, Gelman, Hall, Indek, Goodman & Waters
Attorney Breakout

M. Kemmerly Thomas
McConnaughhay, Duffy, Coonrod, Pope, Weaver, Stern & Thomas P.A.
Multistate WC Laws

Richard S. Thompson
The Zenith Insurance Company
Medical Breakout

John V. Tucker
Tucker & Ludin, P.A.
Mediation

Frank C. Wesighan
Dean, Ringers, Morgan & Lawton, P.A.
Attorney Breakout

Honorable T. Kent Wetherell
First District Court of Appeal
Adjuster Breakout

Glen D. Wieland
Wieland, Hilado & DeLattre, P.A.
Attorney Breakout

Scott P. Williams
Law Office of Scott P. Williams
Attorney Breakout

Michael J. Winer
Law Offices of Michael J. Winer

Attorney Breakout

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Division to Repal Wage Loss Rules


The Florida Division of Workers' Compensation submitted a Notice of Proposed Rule Making for Rules 69L-3.018, 69L-3.019, 69L-3.0191, 69L-3.0192, and 69L-3.0193, Florida Administrative Code.  The notice provides that, if requested, a hearing will be held on Tuesday, August 18, 2015 at 8:00 A.M., Eastern Time, at 2012 Capital Circle, SE, Room 102, Hartman Building, in Tallahassee, Florida.

The official Notice of Proposed Rule Making appeared in the Volume 41, Number 144 of the Florida Administrative Weekly, published on July 27, 2015.  If you have questions about the contents of this notice, please contact Pam Macon, Chief, Bureau of Monitoring and Audit, Division of Workers' Compensation at (850) 413-1708 or Pamela.Macon@myfloridacfo.com.

A copy of the Notice may be viewed via the following link.http://www.FLRules.org/gateway/View_Notice.asp?id=16268954 
 
To learn more about these issues and other Workers' Compensation information click here:http://www.myfloridacfo.com/Division/WC/