OAR 436-120-0177: Selection of Category of Vocational Assistance

(1) The insurer must select one of the following categories of vocational assistance before referring a worker to a counselor: (a) Direct employment services, if the worker has the necessary transferable skills to obtain suitable new employment. (b) Training, if the worker needs training in order to return to employment that pays a wage significantly closer to 100 percent of the adjusted weekly wage. “Significantly closer” may vary depending on several factors, including, but not limited to: the worker’s wage at injury, adaptability, skills, geographic location, limitations, and the potential for the worker’s income to increase with time as the result of training. (c) Limited training, if the worker is not authorized to work in the United States and needs training in order to return to employment that pays a wage significantly closer to 100 percent of the adjusted weekly wage. “Significantly closer” may vary depending on several factors, including, but not limited to: the worker’s wage at injury, adaptability, skills, geographic location, limitations, and the potential for the worker’s income to increase with time as the result of training. (2) The insurer must notify the worker of the category selection and the reason for the selection in the NOTICE OF ELIGIBILITY FOR VOCATIONAL ASSISTANCE issued under OAR 436-120-0115(9). (3) The insurer must reconsider the category of vocational assistance within 30 days of the insurer's knowledge of a change in circumstances including, but not limited to: (a) A change in the worker’s permanent limitations; (b) A change in the labor market; or (c) The category of vocational assistance proves to be inappropriate. (4) The insurer must notify the worker within five days if the reconsideration under section (3) results in a change in the vocational assistance category.