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Welcome to the Division of Longshore and 

Harbor Workers’ Compensation webinar. We 

will begin at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time
OWCP Director Julia Hearthway

Longshore 

Program

Energy 

Program

Black Lung 

Program

FECA 

Program

Office of 

Workers’

Compensation

Programs

Administration of Claims

and Claims Processes
Designated New Compensation Districts 

Eastern, Southern & Western 

with three Suboffices in each District

Industry Notice #175
Office of Workers’ Compensation 

System (OWCS) 

• Equitable Assignment of Work

• Helps Staff Organize and Prioritize their Workload

• Rapid and Precise Notifications of Industry Timeliness

 Employer Report of Injury 

 Initial Payments 

 Controversions

 Final Payments
Implementation of New Policy 

Initiatives

Antonio Rios, Division of Longshore 

and Harbor Workers’ Compensation 

(DLHWC) Acting Director

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Recent Industry Notices

No. 180: New forms effective May 4, 2020

No. 179: Electronic signatures April 20, 2020

No. 178: Enhancement for case creation March 23, 2020

No. 177: Annual increase in monetary civil penalties Jan 2020
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Focus on Intervention Tracking for 

the Longshore Program

Interventions: Informal Conferences and More

• OWCP’s role is to assist wherever we can, and that involves more 

action than informal conferences. No change to informal 

conferencing.

• Shift from simply tracking average number of days to resolve 

disputes to ensuring we are providing resolutions to all of your 

intervention requests.

• LS-7 form, Request for Intervention, was created to quickly identify 

and triage your intervention requests on both conference and nonconference requests 

• Conference Memorandum

• Recommendation without Conference 
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OWCP intervenes often during its oversight of 

cases. Examples:

• Notification when additional compensation is due for 

compensation not paid timely; 

• Information on selection of an attending physician;

• Facilitation of medical care and examination;

• Facilitation of communication and action in a claim;

• Technical assistance given in determinations of 

disability and compensations rates; and 

• Protection of parties’ rights.
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Interventions

Intervention Issues: Fact of Injury, Responsible 

Employer/Carrier, Jurisdiction (coverage), Temporary 

Disability, Permanent Disability, Medical Treatment, 

Average weekly wage, Additional Compensation

Intervention Actions: DOL Written Recommendation

Intervention Resolutions: Issues are either resolved or 

closed within 90 days following the written 

recommendation whether the resolution was achieved 

with or without a conference
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Cultivating Stakeholder Behavior

• Better IT Resources

• Enhanced SEAPortal Capabilities

• Case Create Document Submission Electronically

• Case Create Automation

• Highly Encourage Service Waivers

• New Forms
Division of Longshore & Harbor Workers’ 

Compensation

OWCS

David Abeijon, DLHWC Eastern Compensation 

District Director, New York Suboffice

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What is OWCS?

• OWCS is the new and modernized claims management 

platform that consolidates the existing workers’ 

compensation systems of OWCP’s four program offices 

into one cloud-based solution

• OWCS continues OWCP’s efforts to achieve operational 

efficiencies through IT modernization to meet 

organizational goals and better serve the customer
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• Fully Integrated System

• Reduced Coding/Data Entry by Staff

• Preparation and Transmission of Documents (PATDOC)

• Reduced Indexing

• Review Complete: Medical Records, etc.

• Driving Documents: Triggers Creation of Task

• Action Mail: Requires CE Review for Next Action

• Personal Action List (PAL)/Dashboard

What is OWCS?
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Currently the Longshore Program is using several systems, 

about 30- years old, that do not effectively communicate 

with each other, including the OWCP Imaging System, 

Longshore Case Management System, Special Fund Claims 

System, Rehab Bill Pay System, and many more.

 Less efficiency

 Less time to focus on human aspects of the job

 Increased risk of error

 Redundancies

 More manual process

Why OWCS?
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What impact will OWCS have?

Automation

• Letters will be generated automatically upon case creation.

• Auto-tracking and system notices when LS-202 is received late.

• Notice of 207 are auto-generated upon receipt of Form LS-209.
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New Forms 

•Form LS-4 (Attorney Fee Approval Request)

•Form LS-5 (Application for Special Fund Relief)

•Form LS-6 (Commutation Application)

•Form LS-7 (Request for Intervention)

•Form LS-8 (Settlement Approval Request)

•Form LS-9 (Stipulation Approval Request)

What impact will OWCS have?
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New 

Operational 

Plan Goals

• 1st Report of Injury

• 1st Payment of Injury

• 14(g) Penalties

• 30(e) Penalties

• 14(e) Additional Compensation

• Review of LS-208

• Interventions

• Settlements

• Stipulations

• Second Injury Fund Applications

• Attorneys Fees

• OALJ Referrals

What impact will OWCS have?
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(202) 513-6809

New automated phone system will route callers to the 

responsible Claims Examiner.

Stakeholders will be able to obtain case numbers with 

Social Security Number (SSN) and Date of Birth (DOB). 

Phone calls will be tracked and monitored – program 

goal is phone calls must be returned within 2 business 

days.

New IVR Phone System
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Stakeholder Behavior

 SEAPortal (New Cases and Existing Cases)

 Waivers: LS-801 and LS-802 

 Driving Documents

 New Phone Number (202) 513-6809

 Case Create Fax (202)513-6814
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Operational and Policy at the 

National Level Updates

Kristina Hall 

Branch Chief of 

Policies, Regulations and Procedures
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Claims Trends

New Claims Reported FY 2015 – FY 2019 

All Acts

4,146 4,541

6,299 6,868 6,668

5,864 6,089

6,622

6,676

8,447

13,760 13,547 14,162

14,542

15,430

23,963 24,276

27,122

28,178

30,682

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Longshore

DBA

NAFIA

OCSLA
Claims Trends

New Claims Reported FY 2015 – FY 2019 

Longshore & DBA

5,864 6,089

6,622 6,676

8,447

13,760 13,547

14,162 14,542

15,430

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

16,000

18,000

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

DBA

Longshore
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Claims Trends

New Claims Reported FY 2015 – FY 2019 

Traumatic

21,477 21,583 

23,962 

24,833 25,203 

 -

 5,000

 10,000

 15,000

 20,000

 25,000

 30,000

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
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Claims Trends

New Claims Reported FY 2015 – FY 2019 

Hearing Loss

1,734 

1,628 

1,309 

2,018 1,994 

 -

 500

 1,000

 1,500

 2,000

 2,500

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
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Claims Trends

New Claims Reported FY 2015 – FY 2019 

Occupational - other

562 

906 

1,719 1,787 

3,243 

 -

 500

 1,000

 1,500

 2,000

 2,500

 3,000

 3,500

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Carrier/Self-Insured Payments 

by Company Year

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$707,467,734 $667,643,724 $673,083,163 $669,666,612

$561,021,330

$629,987,955

$597,060,630 $582,575,302 $559,884,079

$546,279,375

$1,388,158,733 

$1,312,512,976 $1,295,373,455 $1,270,946,489 

$1,151,331,741 

CY2014 CY2015 CY2016 CY2017 CY2018

LHWCA

DBA

NAFIA

OCSLA
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Industry Performance DBA

1st Report of Injury within 30 days

1st Report of Payment within 30 Days

63%

67% 70% 71% 69%

62% 65% 65% 67% 68%

91% 92% 94% 94% 94%

85% 88% 88% 88% 88%

Red = target
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Industry Performance Non-DBA

1st Report of Injury within 30 days

1st Report of Payment within 30 Days

88%

89% 88% 89% 90%

85% 86% 86% 87% 87%

89% 93% 94% 94% 94%

85% 87% 89% 89% 89%

Red = target
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DLHWC 

Performance

Program Summary

• Quality and Timeliness of Conference Process

Goal is 89%. Measured 90%.

• Data Integrity

Goal is +/-5% Deviation. Scored +1%.

• Review of Special Fund claimants’ eligibility

Goal is 95%. Exceeded.
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Disputes/Resolutions - DLHWC

FY 2019

863

381 359

177

148

51 11

67

79

106 106

64

136

45

0

20

40

60

80

10

12

14

16

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

Medical Treatment Temporary

Disability

Permanent

Disability

Injury AOE/COE Average Weekly

Wage

Last Responsible

Employer

Jurisdiction

(Coverage)

# of Disputes

Average Days
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Disputes/Resolutions

DLHWC and ALJ

FY 2019

1712

967

789

368

551

106 59

231

269

248

231

327

263

306

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

Medical

Treatment

Temporary

Disability

Permanent

Disability

Average Weekly

Wage

Injury AOE/COE Last Responsible

Employer

Jurisdiction

(Coverage)

# of

Disputes
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Settlements and Conferences

FY 2019

5,332 

5,543 

2,851 

2,571 

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10

38

7

Settlements Informal Conference Requests Conferences Held Memo for Conferences

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

 -

 1,000

 2,000

 3,000

 4,000

 5,000

 6,000

Settlements Informal Conference Requests Conferences Held Memo for Conferences

Number

Average Days
Efficiencies through IT 

Modernization

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In FY 2019, 70% of Incoming Correspondence 

Was Received Electronically.

Case Files

Assessments

Insurance

FY 2019
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We heard from you

 More efficient way to file forms to create a case 

 Added SEAPortal to fax and mail

 Use one email account to serve orders and not staff’s individual 

emails

 One single phone number to reach any office

 (202) 513-6809

 Redefine “wet” signatures in new digital age

 Electronic Signatures

 New forms to reduce findings of deficiencies
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Focused on Differences in Circuit Court Decisions between Suboffices

Preparing for OWCS go-live and new workflows

Enhanced resource modules

Intervention vs. solely dispute resolution

Calculating benefits due for awards with payment through Special Fund 

Interest calculations

Training
Greater Efficiencies

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 DLHWC Re-engineering Business Processes

 Delegation of Signature and Approval Authorities

 Standardize duties of CEs nationwide

 Targeting training opportunities for CE and DD

 Deploy new case management system in May 2020 

 New forms to achieve efficiencies in document submission and 

customer service 

 Expand partnerships to increased capabilities of electronic transfer 

of documents and data

 Institute the concept of the “Intervention” to support technical 

assistance, dispute resolution, outreach, and outcomes
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New Form LS- 4 

This form was 

created to more 

efficiently 

process 

requests for 

Attorney Fees
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This form was 

created to more 

efficiently 

process 

requests for 

Relief under 

Section 8(f)

New Form LS- 5 
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This form was 

created to more 

efficiently 

process 

applications for 

Commutation

New Form LS- 6 
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This form was 

created to more 

efficiently process 

requests for the 

Program’s 

intervention in 

claims

New Form LS- 7 
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This form was created 

to more efficiently 

process requests for 

DLHWC to approve 

settlement 

agreements under 

Section 8(i)

New Form LS-8 
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This form was 

created to more 

efficiently process 

requests for 

approval of Joint 

Stipulations 

between the 

parties

New Form LS-9 
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Communications

Central Mail Receipt

U. S. Department of Labor 

Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs 

Division of Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation 

400 West Bay Street, Suite 63A, Box 28 

Jacksonville, FL 32202 

Case Create Documents only: FAX (202) 513-6814 

SEAPortal: https://seaportal.dol-esa.gov/portal

Telephone Number for all offices: (202) 513-6809
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QUESTIONS?
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PART 2

Outreach with Stakeholders

Begins at 2:45
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• This is an informal session. 

• If we later propose a rule on these topics, you will 

have an opportunity then to submit formal written 

comments after the proposal is published. 

• Only comments made after the rule is proposed will 

become part of the rulemaking record.

Introduction
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What works? 

What does not work? 

What would you change?

• Exchange of Documents and Information

• Settlement Applications

• Definition of Recreational Vessel

• Penalty Assessments and Procedures
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Requests for approval of 

settlement agreements

What works in the current process for requests for approval 

for settlement under Section 8(i)?

What does not work?

If given the opportunity, what would you change?
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Exchange of documents and 

information with OWCP

What current options work to easily submit and receive 

documents and information to/from OWCP?

What does not work?

If given the opportunity, what would you change?
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Definition of 

Recreational Vessel

What currently works with the definition of a recreational vessel?

What does not work and why?

If given the opportunity, what would you change?

Are there any current national, state, or international 

documentation/licensing requirements, or a combination of them, you 

believe the industry could use to easily identify recreational vessels?

If OWCP linked the definition of recreational vessel to a vessel's 

structure, what recreational-vessel-building standards do you believe 

could be used to define a recreational vessel?
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Penalty provisions

The Longshore Act allows OWCP to impose monetary 

penalties on employers and carriers who fail to timely file 

first reports of injury and notices of final compensation 

payment (LS-202 and LS-208), and on employers who 

discriminate against employees for claiming Longshore Act 

compensation.

What factors should OWCP consider in determining penalty 

amounts?

What procedural protections should OWCP adopt for employers 

or carriers who wish to challenge a penalty assessment?
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Thank you!

Your feedback is appreciated.
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