March 30, 2020 Guest Post – Meuser, Yackley & Rowland “The Impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) on Workers’ Compensation in Minnesota – Part 3″

Will my case be delayed due to Coronavirus?

Now that “social distancing” and “flatten the curve” have become part of the collective consciousness, many employees are asking how the efforts to contain Covid-19 will impact their pending workers’ compensation case. Here is an overview of what to expect.

E-filing will continue, but expect disruptions and delays in processing

The situation changes day-by-day, but as of Wednesday, March 18, 2020, the Department of Labor and Industry and the Office of Administrative Hearings, the courts with responsibility for the oversight and administration of workers’ compensation cases are open. However, these courts will operate in a limited capacity in an effort to contain the spread of coronavirus.

Administrative Conferences and Mediations will be conducted by phone

One containment measure that has been adopted by the Department of Labor and Industry (DOLI) and the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH), is that Administrative Conferences and Mediations will now be conducted via phone. If you are scheduled to attend either of these proceedings, then contact your attorney immediately to discuss the logistics.

Some Hearings may continue in-person, others will be conducted by phone or reset

Although important Hearings will proceed, they may be conducted by phone, with the agreements of the parties. Other Hearings will be reset to take place on a later date. If you have an upcoming Hearing, then contact your attorney immediately to discuss whether it is going to proceed and whether it will take place in-person or via phone. If you are at all concerned that you may not be able to participate in an upcoming Hearing, then contact your attorney immediately so that he or she can file a Motion for a Continuance.

The attorneys at Meuser, Yackley & Rowland, P.A. are available throughout the crisis, via phone and email, to answer any questions you have about the impact that Coronavirus may have on your workers’ compensation claim. Call us today at 1-877-746-5680.