PROPOSED RULES
INDUSTRIAL INSURANCE APPEALS
Original Notice.
Exempt from preproposal statement of inquiry under RCW 34.05.310(4).
Title of Rule and Other Identifying Information: Chapter 263-12 WAC, Practice and procedure before the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals.
Hearing Location(s): Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals, Main Conference Room, 2430 Chandler Court S.W., Olympia, WA 98502, on October 26, 2004, at 11:00 a.m.
Date of Intended Adoption: October 27, 2004.
Submit Written Comments to: David E. Threedy, P.O. Box 42401, Olympia, WA 98504-2401, e-mail threedy@biia.wa.gov, fax (360) 586-5611, by October 22, 2004.
Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: Contact Donalda Ball by October 15, 2004, (360) 759-6823 ext. 183.
Purpose of the Proposal and Its Anticipated Effects, Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: To revise the board's rules of practice and procedure by amending WAC 263-12-01501.
The proposed revisions make housekeeping changes by clarifying that with the permission of the industrial appeals judge assigned to the appeal, certain documents may be filed with the board's regional facilities.
Reasons Supporting Proposal: Rule is being modified to meet current business needs. Allowing documents to be filed in regional offices may reduce unnecessary delay experienced when all documents must be routed through Olympia.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 51.52.020.
Rule is not necessitated by federal law, federal or state court decision.
Name of Proponent: Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals, governmental.
Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting, Implementation and Enforcement: David E. Threedy, 2430 Chandler Court S.W., Olympia, WA 98502, (360) 753-6823.
No small business economic impact statement has been prepared under chapter 19.85 RCW. There is no impact on financial issues in the amendments being made. They are basically clarification of procedural rules relating to administrative hearings.
A cost-benefit analysis is not required under RCW 34.05.328. These rule changes are not legislative; they relate to procedures related to agency hearings or clarify language of a rule without changing its effect.
September 17, 2004
David E. Threedy
Executive Secretary
(a) Where to file. All written communications ((by
parties pertaining to a particular case, including notices of
appeal, applications, notices of appearance, briefs,
memoranda, motions, requests, or petitions for review)),
except those listed below, shall be filed with the board at
its headquarters in Olympia, Washington. With permission of
the industrial appeals judge assigned to an appeal,
depositions, witness confirmations, motions, briefs,
stipulations, agreements, and general correspondence may be
filed in the appropriate regional board facilities located in
Tacoma, Spokane, or Seattle.
(b) Methods of filing. Unless otherwise provided by statute or these rules any written communication may be filed with the board personally, by mail, or by telephone facsimile.
(i) Filing personally. The filing of a written communication with the board personally is perfected by delivering the written communication to an employee of the board at the board's headquarters in Olympia during customary office hours.
(ii) Filing by mail. The filing of a written communication with the board is perfected by mail when the written communication is deposited in the United States mail, properly addressed to the board's headquarters in Olympia and with postage prepaid. Where a statute or rule imposes a time limitation for filing the written communication, the party filing the same should include a certification demonstrating the date filing was perfected as provided under this subsection. Unless evidence is presented to the contrary, the date of the United States postal service postmark shall be presumed to be the date the written communication was mailed to the board.
(iii) Filing by telephone facsimile.
(A) The filing of a written communication with the board by telephone facsimile is perfected when a legible copy of the written communication is reproduced on the board's telephone facsimile equipment in Olympia. The hours of operation of the board's telephone facsimile equipment are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. If a transmission of a written communication commences after these hours of operation the written communication shall be deemed filed on the next succeeding business day.
(B) Any written communication filed with the board by telephone facsimile should be preceded by a cover page identifying the party making the transmission, listing the address, telephone and telephone facsimile number of such party, referencing the appeal to which the written communication relates, and indicating the date of, and the total number of pages included in, such transmission.
(C) No written communication should exceed fifteen pages in length, exclusive of the cover page required by this rule.
(D) The party attempting to file the written communication by telephone facsimile bears the risk that the written communication will not be legibly printed on the board's telephone facsimile equipment due to error in the operation or failure of the equipment being utilized by either the party or the board.
(E) The board may require a party to file an original of any document previously filed by telephone facsimile.
(iv) Electronic filing of a notice of appeal. A notice of appeal may be filed electronically when using the appropriate form for electronic filing of appeals as provided on the board's internet site. An electronic notice of appeal is filed when it is received by the board's designated computer during the board's customary office hours pursuant to WAC 263-12-015. Otherwise the notice of appeal is considered filed at the beginning of the next business day. The board shall issue confirmation to the filing party that an electronic notice of appeal has been received. The board may reject a notice of appeal that fails to comply with the board's filing requirements. The board must notify the filing party of the rejection.
(c) Sending written communication. All correspondence or written communication filed with the board pertaining to a particular case, before the entry of a proposed decision and order, should be sent to the attention of the industrial appeals judge assigned to the case. Interlocutory appeals should be sent to the attention of the chief industrial appeals judge. In all other instances, written communications shall be directed to the executive secretary of the board.
(d) Form requirements. Any written communications with the board concerning an appeal should reference the docket number which was assigned by the board to the appeal, if known. Copies of any written communications filed with the board shall be furnished to all other parties or their representatives of record, and the original shall demonstrate compliance with this requirement. All written communications with the board shall be on paper 8 1/2" x 11" in size.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 51.52.020. 04-16-097, § 263-12-01501, filed 8/3/04, effective 9/3/04; 98-20-109, § 263-12-01501, filed 10/7/98, effective 11/7/98; 91-13-038, § 263-12-01501, filed 6/14/91, effective 7/15/91.]