Chapter 246 Oregon Laws 1999

Session Law

AN ACT

SB 289

Relating to nonsubjectivity determinations under workers' compensation statutes; amending ORS 656.740.

Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:

SECTION 1. ORS 656.740 is amended to read:

656.740. (1) A person may contest a proposed order of the Director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services declaring that person to be a noncomplying employer, or a proposed assessment of civil penalty, by filing with the Department of Consumer and Business Services, within 20 days of receipt of notice thereof, a written request for a hearing. Such a request need not be in any particular form, but shall specify the grounds upon which the person contests the proposed order or assessment. An order by the director under this subsection is prima facie correct and the burden is upon the employer to prove that the order is incorrect.

(2) A person may contest a nonsubjectivity determination of the director by filing a written request for hearing with the department within 30 days after the mailing of the determination or within 60 days after the mailing of the determination if the person establishes at a hearing before the Hearings Division of the Workers' Compensation Board that there was good cause for failure to file the hearing request by the 30th day after the mailing of the determination.

[(2)] (3) [Where] When any insurance carrier, including the State Accident Insurance Fund Corporation, is alleged by an employer to have contracted to provide the employer with workers' compensation coverage for the period in question, the Workers' Compensation Board shall join such insurance carrier as a necessary party to any hearing relating to such employer's alleged noncompliance or to any hearing relating to a nonsubjectivity determination and shall serve the carrier, at least 30 days prior to such hearing, with notice thereof.

[(3)] (4) A hearing relating to a nonsubjectivity determination, to a proposed order declaring a person to be a noncomplying employer, or to a proposed assessment of civil penalty under ORS 656.735, shall be held by an Administrative Law Judge of the board's Hearings Division. [; but] However, a hearing shall not be granted unless a request for hearing is filed within the period specified in subsection (1) or (2) of this section, and if a request for hearing is not so filed, the nonsubjectivity determination, order or penalty, [or both,] as proposed, shall be a final order of the department and shall not be subject to review by any agency or court.

[(4)] (5) Notwithstanding ORS 183.315 (1), the issuance of nonsubjectivity determinations, orders declaring a person to be a noncomplying employer or [assessing] the assessment of civil penalties pursuant to this chapter, the conduct of hearings and the judicial review thereof shall be as provided in ORS 183.310 to 183.550, except that:

(a) The order of an Administrative Law Judge in a contested case shall be deemed to be a final order of the director.

(b) The director shall have the same right to judicial review of the order of an Administrative Law Judge as any person who is adversely affected or aggrieved by such final order.

(c) When a nonsubjectivity determination or an order declaring a person to be a noncomplying employer is contested at the same hearing as a matter concerning a claim pursuant to ORS 656.283 and 656.704, the review thereof shall be as provided for a matter concerning a claim.

[(5)(a)] (6)(a) If a person against whom an order is issued pursuant to this section prevails at hearing or on appeal, the person is entitled to reasonable attorney fees to be paid by the director from the Workers' Benefit Fund.

(b) If a person against whom an order is issued is found to be a noncomplying employer, but the person proves coverage pursuant to subsection [(2)] (3) of this section and the insurer failed to file timely a guaranty contract as required by ORS 656.419 or improperly canceled the person's coverage, the noncomplying employer is entitled to reasonable attorney fees paid by the insurer.

(c) If a worker prevails at hearing or on appeal from a nonsubjectivity determination, the worker is entitled to reasonable attorney fees to be paid by the director from the Workers' Benefit Fund and reimbursed by the employer.

Approved by the Governor June 10, 1999

Filed in the office of Secretary of State June 10, 1999

Effective date October 23, 1999

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