Oklahoma Workers’ Comp Commission Aims for Clarity with Organizational Changes
The Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Commission (WCC) has updated its organizational chart and changed the names of an internal division and a working group. The commission reported that the changes reflect an effort to more accurately inform the public as to the actual services it provides.
The Insurance Services Division is now named the Permitting Services Division. The unit is a regulatory arm of the Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Commission, but it often gets calls about securing workers’ comp insurance coverage, according to the commission’s announcement. However, according to WCC Chairman Mark Liotta, the “WCC does not issue, regulate or involve ourselves in any way with the purchase or selling of insurance.”
Additionally, the working group previously known as “Form 3” will now be termed Case Commencement.
“Form 3 means nothing to the public,” Liotta said in the agency’s announcement. “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.”
Further, the Case Commencement group also will no longer be managed by Permitting Services. It will now be managed by Legal Operations. Anyone seeking confirmation of an employer’s workers’ compensation coverage, should contact the Case Commencement group.
The name changes and new organization chart became effective Dec. 14, 2017; all website and email modifications were slated to be accomplished by Jan. 1, 2018. Phone numbers for affected personnel will remain the same and the employees will continue to office in their current area. There is no appreciable cost expected from the name changes.
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 be processed by Permitting Services.