Credits

Course credits are awarded based on the merit and complexity of training:

• A maximum of one credit per hour of training will be awarded, if training meets other criteria.
• Partial credit may be assigned based on 0.5 increments.
• No credit will be awarded for increments less than 0.5.

Courses with good refresher information, but with material that is not all "new" or "complex", may be considered for partial credit. For example, a 3-hour minimum time-loss calculation training class may be assigned 1 claims management credit since minimum time-loss calculations are not "new". There are also times where a "legal course" may instead get claims management credits, (Example: A 6-hour class on case law and/or statutory changes that are not considered recent may be assigned 4 claims management credits).

Note: For curriculum review purposes, "complex" will be defined as training that would be useful, interesting and new or unique, to an experienced adjudicator. It should contain information that goes beyond known, common everyday practices.

Categories

Claims management

• Instruction on any complex claim adjudication activity that is not specific to the "Legal" category. (Examples: Complex benefit calculations, vocational issues, effective communication skills, and so on.)
• Instruction on complex medical issues related to the adjudication of claims under Title 51 RCW (www.leg.wa). (Examples: Study of specific medical condition and their standard courses of treatment, medical case management in complex or multiple injury claims, and so on.)

Legal

• Statutory changes: Instruction on recent changes to Title 51 RCW (www.leg.wa).
• Case Law: Primarily, instruction on new case law as it is handed down. Classes on existing case law may be considered case-by-case, depending on complexity.
• Washington Administrative Codes (WAC's): Instruction on recent changes.
• Significant Board Decisions: Primarily instruction, on recent Board Decisions. Classes on existing Board Decisions may be considered on a case-by-case, depending on complexity.

Note: For curriculum review purposes, "recent" will generally be considered decisions and changes that occurred within the 18 month period prior to course submittal.

Elective

Additional instruction in one or more of the above categories; or, instruction on industry-specific issues related to worker's compensation claim adjudication. Safety and injury prevention courses will not normally be allotted credit.