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U. S. Department of Labor Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs

Division of Longshore and 

Harbor Workers’ Compensation

200 Constitution Avenue NW, Room C-4319 

Washington, DC 20210

January 27, 2020

Notice No. 176

To: Insurance Carriers and Self-Insured Employers under the Longshore and 

Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, and its extensions, and the District Of 

Columbia Compensation Act 

Subject: 2020 Advance Assessment for the Special Fund and Submission of Form 

LS-513 via the Longshore Electronic Access Forms Submission (LEAFS).

Notice: This notice provides information on the 2020 Advance Assessments, the preferred 

method of payment and submission of Form LS-513, Report of Payments.

Electronic submission of LS-513: You can submit the LS-513 and supporting 

documentation electronically via the Longshore Electronic Access Forms Submission 

(LEAFS) on-line web portal, the preferred method of submission which is accessed 

at: https://seaportal.dol-esa.gov/leaf

Instructions for completion of LS-513 are contained in this notice.

Payment instructions: When submitting payment, follow the payment instructions 

located on page 2.

_________________________________________________________________

YOUR ASSESSMENTS

Authority: Section 44 of the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA)

provides for an annual assessment of each authorized insurance carrier and self-insured 

employer for payment into the Special Fund, to provide for payments described under 

Section 44(i). Separate accounts are maintained for the District Of Columbia Compensation 

Act (DCCA) and the LHWCA and its extensions (Defense Base Act, Outer Continental Shelf 

Lands Act and Non-Appropriated Fund Instrumentalities Act), and separate instructions 

apply for reporting payments.

LHWCA Assessment: Your LHWCA Advance Assessment bill, is calculated using: 1) your 

company’s reported compensation payments for calendar year (CY) 2018, 2) the total of all 

compensation payments reported for CY 2018 (the latest data available at this time), 3) CY 

2019 Section 8(f) costs attributable to your company, 4) the total of all CY 2019 Section 

8(f) costs, and 5) the estimated CY 2020 LHWCA Special Fund expenditures. The amount 

due for your CY 2020 Advance Assessment is shown at the bottom of the billing form.

DCCA Assessment: Your DCCA Advance Assessment bill is calculated using: 1) your 

company’s reported compensation and medical payments for CY 2018, 2) the total of all 

compensation and medical payments reported for CY 2018 (the latest data available at this 
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time), and 3) the estimated CY 2020 DCCA Special Fund expenditures. The amount due for 

your CY 2020 Advance Assessment is shown on the bill.

• For the DCCA assessment, please report only compensation and medical payments 

where the date of injury was prior to July 26, 1982. 

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PAYING YOUR ASSESSMENT(S)

Payment of Advance Assessment Bill: The U.S. Treasury has mandated that payments 

to the Federal government be conducted by FedWire/ACH credit to the greatest extent 

possible. Do not combine payments for the LHWCA assessment and the DCCA assessment. 

Preferred Payment Option - To process a Fed Wire with Treasury New York, 

you MUST email your wire instructions to the Longshore Assessment Questions 

email box: Longshore_Assessment_Questions@dol.gov with the subject line 

“WIRE INSTRUCTIONS” prior to the transaction. When emailing this information 

you must also include your company’s name, the bill number (Bill No.) and sequence 

number (SEQ) as shown on the bill; the bill and sequence number can be found on 

the top left hand corner of your bill.

Bank: Federal Reserve Bank of New York

Routing number: 021030004

Account number: 16150003

Alternative Payment Option – Submit a check made payable to U.S. Department 

of Labor, with a copy of the bill, to the address below. Please note that your check 

will be electronically debited to your account. 

U.S. Department of Labor

Office of Workers’ Compensation 

Division of Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation 

200 Constitution Avenue N.W., Room C-4319

Washington, D.C. 20210

Do Not Combine Payments:

• Do not combine payments for subsidiary companies that fall under 

your control. 

 If paying by wire, wire instructions must clearly reflect the subsidiaries 

for which you are forwarding payment and the individual amounts 

remitted.

 If paying by check, submit a separate check for each subsidiary with a 

copy of corresponding bill attached.

• Do not combine payments for the LHWCA assessment and the DCCA 

assessment.

• Do not net credits against balances due. Payment should reflect the full 

amount shown on the individual bill.

_________________________________________________________________
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SUBMITTING YOUR LS-513

Submission of LS-513 (And Supporting Documentation): The Longshore Electronic 

Access Forms Submission (LEAFS) web portal is available to stakeholders to electronically 

submit the Form LS-513, Report of Payments, and the required supporting documentation

to OWCP. This is the preferred method for submission.

https://seaportal.dol-esa.gov/leaf

Electronic submission of the LS-513 and supporting documentation replaces the submission 

of the documents via mail. If the documents are submitted through LEAFS, do not 

mail to OWCP.

To use LEAFS, only your company’s OWCP Sequence (SEQ) number and EIN (tax ID 

number) are needed to access the portal. Both of these can be found on the top left hand 

corner of the Advance Assessment bill. Once you log in, the process is completed in 5 quick 

and easy steps. 

Step 1 - Complete the form on-line 

Step 2 - Print the form, sign and scan it 

Step 3 - Upload the signed form (in pdf format)

Step 4 - Upload the supporting documentation (in pdf, tif or excel format)

Step 5 - Review the uploaded documents and submit

LEAFS will walk you through each step and provide a tracking number to confirm receipt. 

If no payments have been made in the prior year, and the electronic LS-513 reflects $0 

paid, Step 4 is not required to complete. Also, if you submit the LS-513 and supporting 

documentation and then later need to amend and resubmit the information, this can also be 

done via LEAFS. OWCP/DHLWC will use the latest documents uploaded.

Note – If you are unable to use the LEAFS portal, you may submit your LS-513 and 

supporting documentation to the OWCP/DLHWC in Washington, DC. The LS-513 form can 

be accessed through the DLHWC website at: https://www.dol.gov/owcp/dlhwc/, under the 

Longshore Forms link. Please use the address provided above for the submission of the 

form. Do not submit the form or the supporting documentation via email. 

_________________________________________________________________

DEADLINES

Due Dates: 

Payment of the Advance Assessment bill is due by March 2, 2020.

The LS-513 (and supporting documentation) is due by March 16, 2020. 

• Amendments are discouraged, but if necessary, must be submitted by March 16, 

2020.

• Any amendments submitted beyond March 16, 2020 may not be considered in the 

final assessment bill.

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Questions: For questions pertaining to this year's advance assessment or the submission 

of the LS-513, please submit your inquiry to the Longshore Assessment Questions email box 

at the following address:

Longshore_Assessment_Questions@dol.gov

You may also call the OWCP/DLHWC Branch of Financial Management, Insurance and 

Assessments at (202) 354-9620. 

ANTONIO A. RIOS

Acting Director, Division of Longshore and 

Harbor Workers' Compensation
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INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING FORM LS-513, REPORT OF PAYMENTS

GENERAL - Pursuant to Section 44 of the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation 

Act, all authorized insurance carriers and self-insured employers under the Longshore Act 

and extensions, including the District of Columbia Compensation Act, are required each year 

to complete and file with the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs the attached Form 

LS-513. The form must be completed to show the number of cases and all compensation 

and medical payments made under the Act(s) during calendar year 2019. For DBA cases, 

the number of cases and all compensation and medical payments must be reported 

separately by the Contracting Agency. For example, the total number of cases and 

payments for the Department of Defense must be reported in the fields indicated on the 

form and cannot be combined with cases and/or payments from any other agency.

NOTE: A detailed listing must be submitted with the LS-513 supporting the 

figures, and it must contain the following: 

(1) Claimant’s Name (2) OWCP File Number (3) Social Security Number (4) Date 

of Injury (5) State or Country of Injury (6) Act under which payments made (7) 

Indemnity/Medical paid in CY 2019 (8) For DBA cases only, the Contracting Agency 

as entered on the Employer’s First Report of Injury or Occupational Illness (LS-202)

WHAT MUST BE REPORTED ON FORM LS-513:

1) All categories of compensation (under Sections 6, 8, 9, and 44(c)(1)) paid during 

calendar year 2019 and reportable on an LS-208. This includes additional 

compensation under Section 14(e) and (f). Compensation is considered paid when a 

check is issued and not when the check is cashed.

2) Attorney's fees assessed against the employer/carrier under Section 28(a) & (b) are 

NOT considered compensation; however, attorney's fees which are a lien on 

compensation under 28(c) are reportable.

3) All penalties and interest payable to the claimant are considered compensation and 

therefore reportable.

4) Section 8(i) settlements (including annuities) are fully reportable as compensation 

and/or medical in the year paid.

5) Reimbursement to employer/carriers on cases where Section 8(f) relief is ultimately 

granted are NOT to be deducted from total payments.

6) Medical payments must be reported on all lost time claims, including hearing loss 

claims, closed cases, and claims paid under Section 8(f) and claims where only 

compensation has been settled under Section 8(i).

7) Medical payments should include impartial medical examinations ordered by OWCP 

but paid by the employer/carrier.

8) All payments for reimbursement from an excess/reinsurance Carrier or a 

national/state assigned risk pool must be reported by the primary employer/carrier.

9) Any payments made directly to claimants by an excess/reinsurance Carrier must be 

reported by the primary employer/carrier.
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10) Any payments made under a so-called “deductible” policy provision must be 

reported by the insurance carrier that issued the policy.

11) Reports should include gross amounts paid and should not be offset to reflect 

receipt of any 3rd party recoveries or subrogation actions.

12) When an employer continues to pay full salary to an employee, the amount of 

compensation which is due the claimant must be reported. Payments must be

reported for employees who are disabled and given sheltered employment during the 

period of recovery.

13) All payments made under state compensation statutes to concurrent longshore

workers must be reported. If the state amount exceeds that due under Longshore 

only the lesser amount is reportable. If the state amount is less than that due under 

Longshore then both must be reported. Such payments must be reported even if a 

formal claim has not been filed under the Longshore Act and also must be reported if 

subject to a state assessment formula.

REMINDERS:

1) Compensation may NOT be reduced or credited due to actual or anticipated 

subsequent events, reversal on appeal, salary continuance, or credit under a State 

Act.

2) All payments made under the DEFENSE BASE ACT must be reported and 

segregated by Contracting Agency. 

3) No credit is allowed for cases which may be recoverable in the future under the War 

Hazards Compensation Act (WHCA). Once a case is accepted under the WHCA by 

OWCP’s Division of Federal Employees’ Compensation, those claims need not be 

reported for the calendar year in which they are actually accepted or any year in the 

future. No credit will be given for amounts reimbursed from the WHCA.

4) Under the DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COMPENSATION ACT only compensation and 

medical payments made during calendar year 2019 where the injury date is prior to 

7/26/82 should be reported.

5) If the employer/carrier reports zero ($0) payments a report must be submitted 

showing the total payroll for covered Longshore employees during the calendar year. 

If there is no payroll, the report must confirm this. 

ACCURACY OF SUBMISSION:

The employer/carrier is ultimately responsible for reporting payments correctly. Third party 

adjusters or other agents are responsible to their principals for accurate reports. When a 

third party supplies the data the principal payer must sign and attest to the correctness of 

the LS-513.

An independent certification is no longer required. Instead the Department of Labor will 

conduct periodic random audits on a sample of employers and carriers each year. In support 

of this all employers and carriers must maintain claims detail data which verify the figures 

reported on the LS-513. Prior audits have resulted in improved and more accurate reporting 

under the Act.