The Audit and Enforcement Unit of the Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) has posted the Spanish version of the revised benefit notice manual on the DWC website. The English version was previously posted.

The “safe harbor” provision of Title 8, Cal. Code of Regs., section 9810(f) provides that “Benefit notices using the sample notices devised by the Administrative Director and available on the Division’s website are presumed to be adequate notice to the employee and, unless modified, shall not be subject to audit penalties.”

The revisions to the recently approved benefit notice regulations include:

1) Elimination of the requirement to provide Fact Sheets as attachments to notices
2) Reduction of the requirement to provide a QME panel request form with notices
3) Elimination of the warning notice language at the top of notices
4) Allowance for employees and their attorneys to choose to receive electronic service of notices.

The benefit notice regulations take effect on January 1, 2016.