Oklahoma Workers' Compensation Commission

IAIABC: Please provide a description of your organization. 

Collin Fowler, Director of Communication and Administration, Oklahoma Workers' Compensation Commission: In  2013,  the  Oklahoma  Legislature  reformed  the  workers'  compensation  through  Senate  Bill 1062  by  establishing  the  Administrative  Workers'  Compensation  Act  (AWCA).  The  AWCA created  the  Workers’  Compensation  Commission  (WCC),  which  became  fully  operational effective  February  1,  2014. The WCC provides a forum for workers’ compensation hearings and appeals, ensures compliance with relevant statutes by employers, and regulates organizations who wish to self-fund their workers’ compensation obligations.

The  Workers’  Compensation  Commission  is  composed  of  three  full-time  Commissioners, appointed  by  the  Governor  and  confirmed  by  the  State  Senate  to  serve  staggered terms.  The  Commissioners  are  state  officers  precluded  from  having  any  other  employment except  as  may  be  permitted  by  law.  The  Chair  of  the  Commission  is  appointed  by  the Governor  from  among  the  Commission  members. Commissioners perform adjudicative, administrative, and regulatory functions.  Those functions  include:  (1)  hearing  appeals  from  decisions  and  awards  of  the  agency’s Administrative  Law  Judges  (ALJs);  (2)  promulgating  rules  necessary  for  the  administration and  operation  of  the  Commission;  (3)  regulating  employers  which  self-insure  their  workers’ compensation  obligations;  (4)  maintaining  the  Commission’s  Vocational  Rehabilitation Registry  and  lists  of  Independent  Medical  Examiners  and  Medical  Case  Managers;  (5) managing  the  agency’s  budget;  (6)  interacting  regularly  with  the  Self-insurance  Guaranty Fund  Board  and  workers’  compensation  advisory  bodies  to  the  Commission;  (7)  participating in  educational  programs,  including  an  annual,  Commission-sponsored  workers’  compensation conference;  and  (8)  such  other  matters  necessary  for  administration  and  operation  of  the agency. 

IAIABC: How does your organization serve the workers' compensation industry or what do you see as the most important role you play in the workers' compensation industry? 

CF: The  mission  of  the  Workers’  Compensation  Commission  is  to  serve  the  public  by  providing  a fair  and  unbiased  forum  for  the  hearing  and  efficient  processing  of  worker  injury claim  disputes,  to  evaluate  and  administer  own-risk  applications,  and  to  ensure statutory  compliance  of  those  employers  required  to  provide  workers'  compensation coverage. 

To  fulfill  its  mission,  the  Commission  conducts  a  multitude  of  functions.    The  Commission processes  requests  and  notices  for  claims,  settlements,  hearings,  trials,  dockets  and  orders. It  also  receives  notices  and  filings, certifies documents, prepares and transmits  records  on  appeal,  and  provides  public  access  to  Commission  files  and records,  as  authorized  by  law.  To  facilitate  compliance,  the  Commission  maintains  Worker’s Compensation  insurance  proof  of  coverage  records  for  employers  and  regulates  and  third-party administrators.  The Commission also provides counseling services to its stakeholders. These services are carried out by a staff of 43 employees in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. This includes six Administrative Law Judges that hear the cases brought to the Worker’s Compensation Commission.

IAIABC: Are there any projects/programs/initiatives going on at your organization that you are particularly excited or enthusiastic about?

CF: To  provide  more  efficient  services  to  the  public,  the  Commission  is  continuing  its modernization  efforts  to  replace  of  its  antiquated  case  system,  the  Workers’  Compensation Information  System  (WCIS.)  The  new  system,  CaseOK,  currently  features  numerous improvements  in  staff  work-flow  and  public  access  and  facilitates  the  Commission’s application  process  for  Self-Insured  Employers,  Group  Self-Insurance  Associations,  and Third-Party  Administrators,  as  well  as  the  filing  process  for  the  Affidavit  of  Exempt  Status.  The first  phase  of  the  project  is  complete,  and  the  Commission  is  continuing  development  in  the second  phase  of  the  project  in  2021.  CaseOK's  new  electronic  features  will  provide digital  solutions  and  services  to  help  the  Commission,  claimants,  practitioners,  and  other stakeholders operate more  efficiently.

IAIABC: Why is your organization a member of the IAIABC? What would you tell others about the benefits of membership?

CF: The Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Commission is a proud member of the IAIABC.  The WCC is constantly striving to improve its services for the State of Oklahoma, and the IAIABC is a valuable resource for everyone in the world of workers’ compensation.