436-110-0345 Employment Purchases and Placement Services (1) General provisions. An employment purchase is assistance necessary for a worker to find, accept, or retain employment in Oregon. Purchases may be provided for a job with a nonsubject employer in Oregon, as long as that employer complies with the appropriate workers’ compensation law. Employment purchases may not be used if the worker has permanent restrictions but returns to regular work. Except as provided in subsection (2)(i) of this rule, all purchases become the worker’s property. (2) Types of purchases. Employment purchases are limited to: (a) Tuition, books, and fees for instruction provided by an educational entity accredited or licensed by an appropriate body in order to update existing skills or to meet the requirements of an obtained job. This category can be used as often as necessary up to a maximum of $2,000, with each use limited to $1,000; (b) Temporary lodging, meals, and mileage to attend instruction when overnight travel is required. Reimbursable costs must be incurred within a 30-day period of time. The cost of meals, lodging, public transportation, and use of a personal vehicle will be reimbursed at the rate published in Bulletin 112. This category can be used as often as necessary up to a maximum of $1,000; (c) Tools and equipment mandatory for employment. Purchases must not include items the worker possesses, duplicate worksite modification items, vehicles, or items needed for worksite creation. This category can be used as often as necessary up to a maximum of $5,000, with each use limited to $2,500; (d) Clothing required for the job. This category can be used as often as necessary up to a maximum of $1,000, with each use limited to $500; (e) Transportation-related purchases, not including vehicles or vehicle maintenance, that enable the worker to commute to a job such as, but not limited to, bus fare, gasoline, or repairs to an existing vehicle. This category can be used as often as necessary up to a maximum of $1,000, requested within 90 days of hire; (f) Moving expenses for a job if the new worksite is in Oregon and 50 or more miles from the worker’s primary residence. When the worker’s permanent disability from the injury precludes the worker from commuting the required distance, moving expenses may be provided to move within 50 miles of the worker’s primary residence or within the distance the worker commuted for work at claim opening. The worker must complete, sign, and submit Form 3293, “Preferred Worker Moving Assistance Agreement.” Moving expenses are limited to one use. Expenditure is limited to: (A) The cost of moving household goods weighing not more than 10,000 pounds and reasonable costs of meals and lodging for the worker. The cost of meals, lodging, public transportation, and use of a personal vehicle will be paid at the rate published in Bulletin 112. Lodging and meals are limited to a maximum period of two weeks. Mileage for one personal vehicle is limited to a single one-way trip; and (B) Rental allowance for the worker’s primary residence limited to first month’s rent as specified in the rental agreement, nonrefundable deposit in an amount not to exceed the first month’s rent, and a required credit check for that residence; (g) Initiation fees, or back dues and one month’s current dues, required by a labor union. This category can be used as often as necessary up to a maximum of $1,000; (h) Occupational certification, licenses, and related testing costs, drug screen testing, physical examinations, or membership fees required for the job. This category can be used as often as necessary up to a maximum of $1,000, with each use limited to $500; (i) Worksite creation costs that are limited to equipment, furnishings, or other things the employer needs to create a new job for the worker. A completed and signed Form 4122, “Preferred Worker Worksite Creation Agreement,” must be submitted to the division. All items purchased are the property of the employer. This category can be used as often as necessary up to a maximum of $10,000, with each use limited to $5,000; and (j) Miscellaneous purchases that do not fit into subsections (a) through (i) of this section, subject to approval by the director. This category does not include a vehicle purchase. This category can be used as often as necessary up to a maximum of $2,500. (3) Payment and reimbursement. (a) Costs of employment purchases will be paid by reimbursement or by other instrument of payment approved by the director. (b) The director will provide payment but will not otherwise assume responsibility for employment purchases. (c) The person or entity that purchased the items may request reimbursement by submitting to the division a legible copy of an invoice or receipt showing payment has been made for the items purchased. Reimbursement will be made for only those items and costs approved and paid. (d) All requests for reimbursement must be made within one year of the end date on Form 2350, “Preferred Worker Employment Purchase Agreement.” (e) Reimbursed costs may not be charged by the insurer to the employer as claim costs or by any other means. (4) Placement services. (a) Placement assistance services provided to a preferred worker by a certified vocational counselor or any public or private agency that provides placement services are reimbursable as provided in this section. (A) Placement assistance services provide the worker with skills to find employment, including, but not limited to, intake, resume writing, interview skills, resource development, online application development, job search skills, job coaching, and employer contacts. (B) The counselor or agency representative and the worker must complete, sign, and submit to the division Form 4875, “Preferred Worker Placement Assistance Agreement,” with an estimate of services to be provided. (C) Placement assistance is limited to a maximum expenditure of $1,000 for services described in paragraph (A). Payment for these services is based on a billable hourly rate of $85 (or at one-half rate for travel) and may be made to the counselor or agency that provided placement services to enable the worker to find employment, regardless of whether the worker finds employment. (D) Only one placement assistance agreement may be in approved status at any given time. (E) Placement assistance may not be combined with vocational assistance under OAR 436-120. (F) If the worker finds employment as a result of the placement services, an employment placement payment of $500 may be paid to the counselor. If the worker remains employed in that position for at least 30 days, an additional incentive payment of $500 may be paid to the counselor or agency that provided the placement services. (G) Employment placement payment and subsequent incentive payment is limited to a maximum of three employment placements. (H) Placement and incentive payments are limited to one use each per employer. (b) To request payment for placement services provided, a completed and signed Form 5135, “Preferred Worker Program Placement Payment Request,” must be submitted to the division along with a detailed invoice of services provided. (c) All requests for reimbursement for placement services must be made within one year of the placement assistance agreement end date. [Publications: Publications referenced are available from the agency.] Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 656.726(4) & 656.622 Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 656.622 History: WCD 4-2016, f. 11-28-16, cert. ef. 1-1-17 WCD 4-2010, f. 9-15-10, cert. ef. 10-12-10 WCD 3-2009, f. 12-1-09, cert. ef. 1-1-10 WCD 8-2007, f. 11-1-07, cert. ef. 12-1-07 WCD 8-2005, f. 12-6-05, cert. ef. 1-1-06 WCD 4-2005, f. 5-26-05, cert. ef. 7-1-05 WCD 7-2001, f. 8-14-01, cert. ef. 10-1-01, Renumbered from 436-110-0300 & 436-110-0340 WCD 11-1997, f. 8-28-97, cert. ef. 9-12-97, Renumbered from 436-110-0200 & 436-110-0400 WCD 4-1997(Temp), f. 3-13-97, cert. ef. 3-17-97 WCD 10-1996, f. 3-12-96, cert. ef. 4-5-96 WCD 20-1995(Temp), f. 12-8-95, cert. ef. 1-1-96 WCD 15-1995(Temp), f. 10-9-95, cert. ef. 10-11-95 WCD 1-1993, f. 1-21-93, cert. ef. 3-1-93, Renumbered from 436-110-0010, 436-110-0020, 436-110-0025,436-110-0031, 436-110-0032, 436-110-0035, 436-110-0037, 436-110-0041, 436-110-0042, 436-110-0045, 436-110-0047, 436-110-0051, 436-110-0052 & 436-110-0060 WCD 32-1990, f. 12-10-90, cert. ef. 12-26-90 WCD 13-1990(Temp), f. 6-21-90, cert. ef. 7-1-90 WCD 12-1987, f. 12-17-87, cert. ef. 1-1-88 WCD 1-1987, f. 2-20-87, cert. ef. 3-16-87 WCD 7-1981, f. 12-30-81, cert. ef. 1-1-82, Renumbered from 436-063-0015 & 436-063-0045 WCD 2-1978 , f. & cert. ef. 2-1-78 WCD 2-1977(Temp), f. 9-29-77, cert. ef. 10-4-77 WCB 3-1973, f. 3-14-73, cert. ef. 4-1-73 WCB 1-1973, f. 1-2-73, cert. ef. 1-15-73