DWC AND WCAB EXPAND HEARING SCHEDULES

GMK ALERT – Today’s News You Can Use

ISSUE DATE:  Friday, May 29, 2020

IN THIS ALERT: DWC AND WCAB EXPAND HEARING SCHEDULES

The DWC has issued an updated Newsline regarding the policies and procedures before the WCAB due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.  The existing policies and procedures from the earlier April 3 and April 28 DWC’s Newslines have been extended.  Some minor changes regarding lien hearings, as detailed below, will go into effect on June 8, 2020.


HEARING PROCEDURES

  • Status Conferences, Mandatory Settlement Conference, Expedited Hearings, and Trials will be heard via the court’s conference call line.

  • Beginning June 8, the DWC will hear up to 3 Lien Conferences per calendar session.  Lien Conferences in excess of that number will be continued.

  •  Lien Trials will be continued until further notice.

FILING PROCEDURES

  • The DWC will not accept any in-person filings or walk throughs.  The DWC will accept e-fillings, JET filings, and paper filing via U.S. Mail.

  •  The DWC will allow limited acceptance of e-mail filings for documents that cannot otherwise be e-filed, JET filed, or filed by mail and are subject to a statute of limitations.

  • Electronic signatures will be accepted on settlement documents, pleadings, petitions, and motions that are sent to a district office or e-filed.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOUR

GMK will continue to adapt to DWC policies and procedures during the COVID-19 crisis.