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Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked Hearings questions

​​You can request a hearing in writing, either mailed or hand-delivered to one of our staffed offices in Salem, Portland, and Medford. You can also fax your hearing request to 503-373-1600. Please include your name, address, employer, date of injury and claim number. Hearing Request Form​​ & Instructions for filing​ a Request for Hearing

  • ​​WCB Salem - 2601 25th St. SE, Suite 150, Salem, OR 97302
  • WCB Portland - 16760 SW Upper Boones Ferry Road, Suite 220, Portland, OR 97224​
  • WCB Medford​ - 115 W Stewart Ave., Suite 102, Medford, OR 97501

Call the Oregon State Bar Referral Service at 800-452-7636 (toll-free) for an attorney in your area who specializes in workers' compensation law, or try the yellow pages in your phone book. Attorneys get a fee only if they win your case. In some instances, your employer's insurer pays the fee. In others, the fee is paid from your award of compensation.​​​​​​

To get a hearing postponed, you must have a good reason, such as recently hiring an attorney. You must contact the opposing party to get their position on your request for postponement. Then, you must contact the Hearings Division — either in writing, via fax, by telephone, or using WCB online services — to request a postponement. Do not assume your request will be automatically granted. The Hearings Division will then notify you whether your hearing has been postponed.​​​​​

​The 30-day deadline for issuance of an order starts when the record closes. Sometimes the record does not close on the day of the hearing because more evidence (for example, a medical report or a deposition of a doctor) has to be obtained and submitted to the administrative law judge.​​​​​

If you are withdrawing your request for hearing, you must inform the Hearings Division in writing. Once your submission has been received, an Order of Dismissal will be issued. If you have settled your case, please inform the Hearings Division of the settlement.​​​​​

​The law requires new requests for hearing to be scheduled within 90 days of the request. The law requires postponed cases to be rescheduled within 120 days. Many factors affect the availability of docket time: holidays, mediations, or OSHA hearings that have to be scheduled.​​​​

Frequently asked Board Review questions

​Several factors can impact the review. They are: whether the parties request extensions of the briefing schedule, whether procedural motions were raised, the complexity of the case, the extent of the record, the potential significance or novelty of the issues raised, and whether the Board Members can reach a consensus.​​

​​​You can hand-deliver your written request to any of WCB’s staffed offices. The addresses for WCB’s staffed offices are:

  • WCB Salem - 2601 25th St. SE, Suite 150, Salem, OR 97302
  • WCB Portland - 16760 SW Upper Boones Ferry Road, Suite 220, Portland, OR 97224​
  • ​WCB Medford - 115 W Stewart Ave., Suite 102, Medford, OR 97501

or do one of the following:

Fax your request to 503-373-1684
Email your request to request.wcb@wcb.oregon.gov​
File your request by way of the WCB Portal, for registered attorneys only.
​​​

​Except in extraordinary circumstances, Board Review will be scheduled within 90 days after it receives the request for review. After that review is completed, the Workers' Compensation Board will make its decision within 30 days.​​​​​​​​​​

​Yes. However, the Workers' Compensation Board (WCB) cannot consider any information that was not admitted as evidence at the hearing level. But, if WCB considers the new information relevant, it may be presented to, and considered by the administrative law judge, provided that WCB decides to remand the case to the Hearings Division.​​​​​​​

​A Workers' Compensation Board order becomes final 30 days after it is issued. If the compensation due is temporary disability ultimately found payable under the order, payment should begin within 14 days from the date the order becomes final. If the compensation due is permanent disability ultimately found payable under the order, payment should begin within 30 days from the date the order becomes final.​​​​​​

​​Yes, you can file a request for an extension of time.  Tips on filing an extension of time can be found here​.​​​

Frequently asked Claim Disposition Agreement (CDA) questions

If claimant is represented by an attorney and is waiving the 30-day "cooling off" waiting period:  It generally takes 7 to 10 days from the date the CDA is received by WCB for the CDA to be approved.  Board addendum letters seeking further information or clarification can extend the time before CDA approval.

If claimant is unrepresented:  The earliest a CDA for an unrepresented claimant can be approved is the 31st day from the date the CDA is "submitted"; i.e., received by WCB.  See ORS 656.236(1)(a)(C), (1)(b); OAR 438-009-0025(2).

​No, a copy is not required.​​​​

​The Board may find an ambiguity or error in the CDA and request an addendum from the parties to amend, supplement, or clarify the CDA. See CDA Practice Tips​ that explain frequent problems.

Yes, if transmitted between parties and attorneys.  However, a CDA must be filed by mail, by portal, or by hand delivery to the Board.  (FAX and email filing for a CDA is not permissible.)​

​The Board is required by law to give unrepresented claimants 30 days from the date of Board receipt of the CDA an opportunity to withdraw the CDA if they change their minds.  If a claimant is represented by an attorney, the 30-day period may be waived in the CDA.  ORS 656.236(1)(b); OAR 438-009-0022(3)(j).​

​The Board is required by law to confirm that the CDA complies with the law and that there are no errors, inconsistencies, or ambiguities.  ORS 656.236(1)(a), (A), (B), (C).​

​Yes, addendums can be faxed to 503-373-1684.​​​​​

​Yes, you can drop off a CDA or addendum at any of WCB's staffed offices.  The addresses of WCB's staffed offices are:

WCB Salem - 2601 25th St. SE, Ste. 150, Salem, OR 97302
WCB Portland - 16760 SW Upper Boones Ferry Rd., Ste. 220, Portland, OR 97224​
WCB Medford - 115 W Stewart Ave., Ste. 102, Medford, OR 97501

Yes, make your request to expedite in writing by mail, fax or on the portal screen.  However, when claimant is unrepresented, Board approval cannot be granted until the 31st day after Board receipt of the CDA.​

Through WCB's "Portal" notification system to attorneys and carriers (if they are registered users), by posting on WCB's website, by postcard (if unrepresented or, if submitted by the parties), or by means of a Board order.​

​Unless otherwise stated in the CDA, the carrier has 14 days after the CDA is approved by the Board/"ALJ-Mediator" to issue a check.  Concerns regarding late payment should be directed to claimant's attorney or to the Ombuds Office for Oregon Workers at 1-800- 927-1271 in Salem.​

Frequently asked Interpreter Services questions

Court Certified means an interpreter who meets one of the following:
• Is certified under the program established under ORS 45.291
• Is certified as an interpreter by the federal courts
• Is certified as an interpreter in another state that has a certification program that is equivalent to the program established under ORS 45.291.

Qualified means a person who:
• Is not court certified and does not fit any of the other criteria mentioned above defining a court certified interpreter, but is readily able to communicate with the non-English-speaking person and who can orally transfer the meaning of statements to and from English and the language spoken by the non-English-speaking person.​

WCB must hire court certified interpreters first. If a court certified interpreter is unavailable, a qualified interpreter will be hired.​

Disabled person means a person who cannot readily understand the proceedings because of deafness or a physical hearing impairment, or cannot communicate in the proceedings because of a physical speaking impairment.​​​​​​​

Non-English-speaking person means a person who, by reason of place of birth or culture, speaks a language other than English and does not speak English with adequate ability to communicate effectively in the proceedings.​​​​​​

WCB pays for the interpreter when interpretation services are provided by WCB. A WCB contractor must perform interpretation services for hearings.​​​​​​

Contacts

​​​​​Hearings
Interim Mediation Program Coordinator
and Administrative Assistant to
the Presiding ALJ
Workers' Compensation Board
503-378-3308

​​​​​Board Review line
503-934-0103​​​
​Claim Disposition Agreement
CDA Coordinator
Workers' Compensation Board
503-934-0116
​Own Motion
Own Motion Coordinator
Workers' Compensation Board
503-934-0103