The Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission has released a redesigned Workers’ Compensation Notice. The revised mandatory notice replaces prior filing language with expanded plain-language guidance for both employees and employers. Key revisions include updated claim-filing instructions, reporting requirements, medical treatment rights, and information on wage-loss benefits.
Virginia employers should replace their existing Workers' Compensation Notice with the newly revised version. Although the law itself has not changed, the updated notice presents important information in a straightforward format, helping employees better understand what to do after a workplace injury or illness.
What Changed on the Revised Notice?
The newly updated poster replaces technical legal language with step-by-step instructions that explain the workers' compensation process from both the employee's and employer's perspective, as regulated by the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Act.
For employees, the notice emphasizes the importance of reporting a workplace injury or illness to the employer in writing as soon as possible. It also clarifies that filing a claim with the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission is a separate step from notifying the employer or its insurance carrier. The notice also includes information about the two-year deadline for filing most claims and explains the seven-day waiting period before wage loss benefits begin. It explains that injured workers may need to seek suitable employment if they are unable to return to their regular job.
The updated notice also includes a QR code linking directly to the Commission's claim form and instructions, making it easier for injured workers to begin the claim filing process quickly.
Employer Responsibilities Under Virginia Law
The revised poster also summarizes several critical obligations for employers following a workplace injury. Employers must provide injured employees with the names and contact information of at least three physicians from different medical practices so the employee can choose an authorized treating physician. If the employer does not provide these options within a reasonable time, the employee can seek treatment from a doctor of their choosing.
Employers are also responsible for promptly reporting workplace injuries and occupational diseases to their workers' compensation insurance carrier. If an employer is not insured, the injury must be reported directly to the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission.
Workers’ Compensation Posting Requirement
Virginia's Workers' Compensation Act requires covered employers to post this notice where employees can view it in the workplace during the normal course of the workday. Employers that do not maintain a physical worksite can satisfy the requirement by posting the notice on their website where employees can easily access it.
Action Steps for Employers
Virginia employers who are subject to the Virginia Workers' Compensation Act should immediately replace older versions of the Workers' Compensation Notice with the newly redesigned poster. Even though the core legal requirements explained on the poster have not changed, the updated notice provides employees with clear, plain language information about their rights and responsibilities following a workplace injury.
Labor Law Posters-Online’s updated Virginia labor law posters now include the newly revised Workers' Compensation Notice along with other required state and federal postings. Customers enrolled in our annual poster update service automatically receive mandatory posting revisions during their subscription year, helping them stay in compliance with changing posting requirements