JOHN A. MASTROPIETRO,
Chairman
Established - 1913
Statutory Authority -- Chapter 568, General Statutes
Central Office -- 21 Oak St., Hartford, CT 06106
Average number of full-time employees 127
Recurring operating expenditures, 2004-2005 - $12,779,767.89
Capital outlay - $12,637.68
Organization Structure -- Organizational Structure
– Chairman, Chief Administrative Officer, Compensation Review Board, Business,
Personnel, Information Systems, Education, Rehabilitation, and Statistical
units are located in the Chairman’s Office.
Fifteen additional trial Commissioners preside over dispute resolution
hearings at the eight district offices.
The Workers’ Compensation Commission administers the workers’ compensation laws of the State of Connecticut with the ultimate goal of ensuring that workers injured on the job receive prompt payment of lost work time benefits and attendant medical expenses. To this end, the Commission facilitates voluntary agreements, adjudicates disputes, makes findings and awards, hears and rules on appeals, and closes out cases through full and final stipulated settlements.
Since the Workers’ Compensation Act (Chapter 568, C.G.S.) was adopted in 1913, numerous enhancements and modifications in coverage and benefits have been made by the Legislature. With few exceptions, all workers and employers are now covered by the workers’ compensation laws. When a worker has suffered a job-related injury or illness, he or she is entitled to certain well-defined wage replacement and medical benefits. The mission of the Workers’ Compensation Commission is to ensure injured employees’ rights are fully protected, and that workers and employers fully carry out their legal responsibilities. There are fifteen At-Large Commissioners who serve in eight district offices throughout the state. They are appointed by the Governor with legislative approval. A sixteenth Commissioner serves as Chairman of the Commission. The Chairman is responsible for administration of the entire Commission. The Chairman also serves as Chief of the Compensation Review Board (CRB) along with two other Commissioners appointed by him for one-year terms to hear appeals of cases decided by the Commissioners. The Commission also educates employees about their legal rights and helps rehabilitate and return injured workers to gainful employment. During FY 2005, the Commission’s Safety Program Officers worked hard and effectively to monitor worker safety committees throughout the state. Prevention, education and rehabilitation are integral to the Commission’s statutory responsibilities. A Statistical Division measures and monitors the caseload and performance of the Commission.
In recent years, two landmark reform bills were enacted.
The first, (Public Act 91-339) centralized administrative duties and powers in the person and Office of the Chairman to more effectively implement enforcement of the law. Twenty-three specific duties were assigned to the Chairman, including budgetary and personnel matters, assignment of Commissioners, and regulation of attorneys, physicians, and preferred provider organizations. The Chairman and his staff implement these responsibilities, guided by an Advisory Board composed of business and labor representatives, including an injured worker.
The second,
(Public Act 93-228) effected historic reforms of the Connecticut workers’
compensation laws effective July 1, 1993.
The benefit modifications and related reforms contained in this Act,
combined with the efficiencies engendered by Public Act 91-339, have resulted
in reduced payouts. Cumulative savings
over these past years are over $750 million dollars compared to what costs
would have been without the 1993 reforms.
The Commission constantly strives to upgrade service to its clientele. Two key goals are: expediting disputed claims settlement, and returning injured workers to productive jobs. These goals are closely monitored by the Commission through manual and automated reporting systems.
Safety Program Officers work cooperatively and confidentially with employers to devise and implement safety programs resulting in reduced accidents, injuries, medical costs and lost workdays. During the period of July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2005, Safety Program Officers visited 1,787 employer sites. In total, 15,249 employer sites have been visited, and more than 4,900 safety and health committees, covering more than 850,000 employees, have been approved. Medical care plans, including preferred provider organizations, are also reviewed for compliance with workplace safety and health laws.
The Commission participates in the Connecticut Licensing Information Center, providing one-stop licensing information to state employers via the Internet.
During the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 2005, the Commission moved aggressively to provide more effective and efficient service delivery.
All duties and responsibilities continue to be executed effectively and punctually with fewer full-time employees than in the last several years.
Continual monitoring of hearing backlogs at the eight district offices, and reassignment of resources to meet heavy workloads, have resulted in a major decrease in time between initial hearing request and the date the hearing is actually held. Hearing backlog is down dramatically for both informal and formal hearings. The Chairman actively monitors cases ensuring that no cases are unnecessarily delayed.
The Compensation Review Board continues to process cases expeditiously. This year, new appeals numbered 140. Meanwhile, there were 131 dispositions, including 72 written opinions.
During FY 2005, 3,455 individual cases were provided rehabilitation services. Of that total, 1,596 initial interviews were scheduled. Through guidance, counseling and cost-effective short-term training programs, 668 injured workers returned to the workforce, including 315 who completed a full training program.
This high success rate was achieved despite a major reduction of the program’s staff. The staff, which had numbered thirteen professional counselors, including a director, and a clerical worker, now numbers just five professional and one clerical employee. Worker Rehabilitation vocational education coordinators have been assigned to specific district offices, allowing greater familiarity with client needs and resources available in various geographic areas of the state. Highly cost effective on-the-job training programs have replaced an earlier emphasis on formal education programs. The clients of worker’s rehabilitation services who return to work can now support themselves and their families, and are paying taxes as a direct result of workers’ rehabilitation programs.
To help monitor medical costs, (comprising more than 40 percent of total workers’ compensation payments), the Commission reviews and approves applications for managed care plans. To date, 3,970 employers with 499,324 employees have approved plans.
A steadily increasing percentage of on-line reporting of workplace injuries has resulted in more accurate data at lower cost. During Fiscal Year 2005, plans were nearing completion for the implementation of an injury reporting system which will allow web-based as well as value added network submission of first reports. When completed in FY 2006, the trends toward greater accuracy and cost effectiveness of injury reporting will be tremendously enhanced.
The Commission’s web site has expanded vastly, providing vital, up-to-date information on all aspects of the Commission’s resources and services including the law, CRB decisions and late-breaking news. Additionally, the Commission’s major forms are now available in fill-able PDF format.
During FY 2005 the Commission continued major upgrades, affecting most of the Commission’s core functions, including claims processing, rehabilitation services, and health and safety programs. Operating systems and office mail are currently “state of the art”. Additionally, planning was begun during FY 2005 on the acquisition of powerful new servers, and the eventual migration of data and applications to a Department of Information Technology based standard.
Committees on the claims process, forms design, and intra-office communications, established in prior years continue their productive work. The Commission’s strategic planning goals are:
-- shortening the claims process in order to get benefits to
injured workers as soon as possible;
-- elimination of duplicate claims;
-- identification of non-insured employers;
-- quick retrieval of records, saving personnel costs;
-- sophisticated data analysis to identify trouble spots
before they become serious, thus affording greatly enhanced
service to Connecticut workers; and,
--worker rehabilitation case tracking for Connecticut
workers.
The Commission’s Affirmative Action
Plan is currently in compliance. While
the commission has no full time Affirmative Action Officer, its Affirmative
Action Plan and Program are prepared by its personnel officer. The commission continues its commitment to
the state Affirmative Action Program.
Key Performance Measures
FY 2005
Injuries/Illnesses – 53,720
Fatalities - 66
Informal Hearings – 42,783
Formal Hearings – 2,554
Pre-formal Hearings – 8,023
Stipulations – 7,363
Voluntary Agreements – 21,820
Awards – 1,984
Dismissals - 116
Education Services Information
Responses – 83,884
Website – 447,699 visits; 1,937,223 page views; and, 220,724
forms and publications downloaded.