WCB Office Closures/FurloughsDear People, As you know, tough economic times have severely reduced state revenues, forcing legislatures throughout the nation to make deep cuts in state budgets. Nearly half the states have found that temporary closures and furloughs are necessary ways to save money while preserving the important functions and services of state government. As part of its strategy to address its own budget cuts, Oregon's state government will close most agencies on 10 Fridays that fall throughout the current two-year budget period. Those Fridays are as follows:
The first closure day is Friday, October 16. Be advised the Department of Consumer and Business Services, to include the Workers' Compensation Board, will close all its offices on that day. As a result, no WCB employee (Hearings Division, Board Review, or Administrative Services) will be performing work duties on the aforementioned "closure-furlough" days. In addition, no ALJ/Board order will be issued nor any other action (correspondence, agreement approval, telephone conference, mediation) will be taken on a "closure-furlough" day. Parties and practitioners are encouraged to keep these "closure-furlough"
dates in mind when considering the filing of a variety of documents with the Hearings Division
and Board Review; e.g., hearing requests, requests for review, motions for abatement/reconsideration,
appellate briefs, and briefing extensions. In doing so, they are reminded that it will not
be possible to "file" a document by physical delivery at a permanently staffed
WCB office on a "closure-furlough" day. See OAR 438-005-0046(1)(a). Nonetheless,
documents can still be "filed" by other means as prescribed in OAR 438-005-0046(1)(a);
e.g., regular/certified mail, FAX, and e-mail. Abigail L. Herman |
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