The Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development has released a revised Workers’ Compensation poster that includes a significant change to employee injury reporting timelines. The revised poster includes updated text regarding the timely reporting of injuries, illnesses, and fatalities. Employers must ensure they replace outdated postings promptly to remain compliant with Workers’ Compensation posting requirements.
What’s Changed on the Alaska Workers’ Compensation Poster?
The updated Alaska Workers’ Compensation poster now includes a tighter deadline for reporting workplace injuries, illnesses, or fatalities. Under the new requirement, employees must report any job-related injury, illness, or death immediately, and no later than 15 days after the incident.
Previously, employees had as many as 30 days to report such incidents. The revised language on the required notice emphasizes the importance of timely reporting and reinforces the importance of employees acting quickly when workplace incidents occur.
Also outlined in the updated notice, employees must provide written notice to both their employer and the Alaska Workers' Compensation Division regarding the workplace incident. The employee must complete the appropriate incident reporting form provided by their employer to properly document the incident.
Alaska Workers' Compensation Act Requirements
In addition to posting the updated notice, Alaska employers must also comply with several administrative requirements and responsibilities under the Alaska Workers' Compensation Act. These requirements ensure proper employee protection and appropriate handling of all workplace injuries and illnesses.
Specifically, covered Alaska employers must:
- Maintain active workers’ compensation insurance coverage for all eligible employees
- Post the official notice of insurance in the workplace
- Provide employees with the proper reporting forms in the event of a workplace injury or illness
- Report injuries to their insurance carrier and the state within required timelines
- Cooperate with claims investigations and maintain accurate records of workplace incidents
Employers also assume responsibility for ensuring that employees understand their rights and responsibilities, including how and when to report an injury.
Action Steps for Employers
To stay compliant with posting regulations and workers’ compensation obligations, Alaska employers should take the following actions:
- Replace outdated posters with the newly revised Alaska Workers’ Compensation notice as soon as possible.
- Review company injury reporting procedures to ensure they align with the new 15-day deadline.
- Educate employees and supervisors on the updated requirement to ensure prompt, accurate, and timely reporting of work-related injuries, illnesses, and fatalities.
Labor Law Posters Online provides updated, all-on-one labor law posters designed to keep businesses compliant with the latest federal and state requirements. The revised Alaska Workers’ Compensation poster is now available on our Alaska Space Saver-1 All-On-One Labor Law Poster. Meanwhile, active annual subscription plan customers in Alaska will receive the update automatically as part of their service.
