Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act and Related Statutes

On May 8, 1995, the Department of Labor published a proposal to amend the regulations implementing the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act. The amendments are designed to improve administration and clarify existing policy by: Providing that the district jurisdictional boundaries would be changed by direct notice to affected parties; eliminating the requirement for using certified mail in most circumstances; clarifying that the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs fee schedule would be used to determine the reasonable and customary medical charge where there is a dispute; and modifying the requirement that an employer with geographically different work sites within one compensation district have only one insurance carrier. The final rules are being published essentially unchanged from the proposal.