Claims Kit

Penalties for Late Reporting  32-1514  32-1532

Any employer who fails or refuses to submit any required report or filing may be subject to a civil penalty of up to $1,000 for each such failure or refusal.

Additionally, an employer or insurer failing, neglecting, or otherwise refusing to file necessary reports will delay the commencement of the statute of limitations running. The statute of limitations will not begin to run against the claim until the report has been furnished as required.

Physician Selection  34-1507

Injured workers have the right to elect a physician of their choosing to provide claim-related medical care. This ability to elect the provider who renders necessary care for a compensable injury or illness extends to emergency treatment. An injured worker remains able to elect the emergency provider who will render care in emergent situations.

If there is need for immediate treatment and the injured employee is unable to select a physician due to the nature of the injury in question, the employer may select a physician to provide initial treatment to the employee. This is provided, however, that any such physician selected by the employer will not be considered to have been selected by the employee. The employee will retain the right to select a physician of their choosing to act as their authorized treating physician.

In all cases the care rendered must remain reasonable, necessary, and causally related to the industrial injury or illness in question.

Because of the novel coronavirus pandemic and associated staffing concerns, the administrative hearings division will no longer issue compensation orders, scheduling orders, or other orders through certified mail.

All papers, including compensation orders and scheduling orders, will only be issued through the electronic filing system. This decision is made due to the spread of the coronavirus and is possible because of the successful adoption and implementation of the e-Filing system. The process will limit the staff’s physical presence in the office, reducing the spread of SARS-CoV-2 while enhancing efficiency of service delivery to our stakeholders. We also encourage self-represented litigants to register with the e-Filing system in order to receive information more securely, timely, and faster.

Should you have questions regarding this process change, please email Mohammed R. Sheikh, Deputy Director for the Labor Standards Bureau at Muhammad.Sheikh@dc.gov

The DC Office of Workers’ Compensation has established a convenient process to submit the necessary forms when a private-sector employee has experienced a work-related injury or illness. As a result of Coronavirus (COVID-19), you may now access the following online forms to begin the filing process without having to hand-deliver or mail the documents to the D.C. Office of Workers’ Compensation.If you prefer to mail your documents, you may mail the information to the address located on the forms.

The Workers' Compensation Program processes claims and monitors the payment of benefits to injured private-sector employees in the District of Columbia. Disputes between claimants and employers (or their insurance carriers) are mediated and employers are monitored to ensure compliance with insurance coverage requirements.The program administers the special/second injury fund, which provides benefits in cases of uninsured employers or in instances where an injury combines with a pre-existing disability to cause a substantially greater disability. Also, the program approves lump-sum settlements, assesses penalties and fines for non-compliance with the law and monitors vocational rehabilitation.

How to File a Claim

• Report job-related injury or illness promptly to the employer.
• Report job-related injury or illness in writing to the Office of Workers’ Compensation within 30 days of occurrence or awareness.
• Complete the DCWC Form 7. The form can be obtained from the employer, insurance carrier, or Office of Workers'Compensation.
• Keep a copy of the completed form for your records, file a copy with your employer and send the original to the Office of Workers'Compensation.
• DCWC Form 7Amust be filed within one year after injury or death. The form can be obtained from the employer, insurance carrier, or the Office of Workers' Compensation.

Reporting of Claim by Employer  32-1532

Employers must report alleged injuries or diseases to the Office of Workers' Compensation (OWC) within 10 days from the date of injury, death, or receipt of knowledge of the work-related condition. This reporting requirement should be satisfied with the submission of a completed Employer's First Report of Accidental Injury or Occupational Disease (OWC-8).

Failure to present the required report may subject an employer to a civil penalty not to exceed $1,000 for each such failure or refusal to report.

Posting Requirements  7-205  32-1536

All employers subject to the provisions of the DC Workers' Compensation Act must keep sufficient notice posted about their place of business. Notice must be posted in a conspicuous place(s) in and around the employer's place(s) of business. The posted notice must be typewritten or printed and in-line with the prescribed forms circulated by the Office of Workers' Compensation (OWC). If not self-insured, these notices must contain the name and address of the employer's insuring workers' compensation insurance carrier and the policy's expiration date. Copies of the circulated poster for employer completion and use are below. Employers should also post copies of the OWC's Employee's Rights and Obligations Information Sheet where appropriate to ensure all parties are aware of their rights under the Act. 

Workers' Compensation Notice of Compliance (Employer Form) - Form 1 DCWC

Workers' Compensation Notice of Compliance (Employer Form) - Form 1 DCWC, Spanish

Employee's Rights and Obligations Information Sheet