Goal #1: Conduct timely impartial investigations of charges of illegal discrimination under state and federal law.
Complete case investigations within 120 days for housing charges and 180 days for all other charges in accordance with state statutory timelines.
Goal #2: Ensure appropriate filing within statutory time lines and jurisdiction of applicable state and federal discrimination statutes.
Trained staff will screen complaint inquiries and, when appropriate, prepare written complaints within two weeks of all intake interviews.
Goal # 3: Foster early resolution of charges.
Provide mediation during the 180 day investigation period, when requested by parties to a case.
Successfully conciliate 55% of cases certified for hearing.
Goal # 4: Provide technical assistance and educational outreach to businesses, advocacy groups and interested citizens.
Participate in 15 Assistance to Business Clinics annually.
Participate in a minimum of 10 other workshops and conferences on disability issues, race relations, discrimination issues in the workplace, education and public accommodations.
Respond to business rights inquiries from the public within two business days.
Goal #1: Assist employers in complying with workplace safety and health standards.
Assist 200 public sector employers with safety and health.
Conduct inspections on Montana's six coal mines.
Conduct annual sand and gravel inspection.
Utilize the OSHA Consultation Program to reach out and provide safety and health services to 200 private sector employers around the state.
Goal #2: Provide educational outreach and technical assistance to Montana employers, workers, students, and interested organizations.
Provide Business Outreach presentations throughout the State
Participate as an exhibitor promoting Safety & Health Bureau and SafetyFestMT 4x per year.
Provide OSHA 10 Hour Courses targeted to young workers 40x per year.
Provide SafetyFestMTs, in partnership with WorkSafeMT, 4 x per year to 1400 workers.
Develop needed safety educational materials
Goal #3: Provide mine training courses for Montana employers.
Train 1,000 – 1,500 miners and mining contractors in new miner training/refresher training through the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) Small Miners training grant.
Goal #1: Provide timely monitoring and regulatory services for the workers’ compensation industry and claimants.
Process 100% of orders within 14 days of receipt. This typically requires issuance of determinations on 1,700 orders annually.
Goal #2: Provide timely Stay at Work/Return to Work (SAW/RTW) assistance for injured workers, employers, and healthcare providers.
Mail a postcard to 100% of injured workers who file a report of injury to notify them of the assistance program.
Refer 100% of request for assistance to the insurer or vocational rehabilitation provider within 3 days of receipt.
Raise awareness of the assistance program through education and outreach to employers.
Goal #3: Provide timely, impartial, and equitable dispute resolution of benefit issues between claimants and insurers.
Maintain at least a 70% to 80% resolution rate for all workers' compensation mediation petitions filed. This typically requires conducting mediation conferences and issuing recommendations on 1,300 disputes annually.
Complete the mediation process on 100% of cases within 80 days of receipt of a petition for mediation. The timeframes may be extended by request and agreement of the parties.
Goal #4: Enhance the electronic collection, quality, production, and sharing of workers’ compensation information and data.
Complete the Annual Report by July of each year.
Prepare at least one special study to be made available to the workers’ compensation community each fiscal year.
Goal #5: Develop reviews of Utilization and Treatment Guidelines and Medical Fee schedules including internet based information and technical assistance for the medical community, insurers, adjusters, employers, workers, and the general public.
Develop reviews of Utilization and Treatment Guidelines and Medical Fee schedules including internet based information and technical assistance for the medical community, insurers, adjusters, employers, workers, and the general public.
Review and update of Utilization and Treatment Guidelines on an annual basis including ongoing support and communication.
Goal #6: Respond to independent medical reviews (IMR) and subsequent injury (SIF) reimbursements in a time manner.
Completion of the IMR requests within the statutory guidelines.
Complete SIF reimbursement requests in a timely manner.
Goal #7: Provide technical assistance, public service announcements, and educational outreach to the public about the Workers’ Compensation Act.
1. Correctly answer public inquiries. Public presentations are accurate and knowledgeable of the laws.
2. Develop educational outreach for the Utilization and Treatment Guidelines, Fee Schedules, and IMRs.
3. Participate in a minimum of 10 workshops and conferences annually to provide information about the programs administered by the bureau.
Goal #1: Provide technical assistance, public service announcements, and educational outreach to the public about Title 39, Chapters, 8, 9, 71, and 73, MCA.
Correctly answer public inquiries in an accurate, professional, and timely manner. Public presentations are accurate and knowledgeable of the laws.
Use resources and knowledge to educate employers and the general public about workers’ compensation requirements in Montana.
Visit construction sites to verify compliance with the workers’ compensation coverage and construction contractor registration.
Goal #2: Respond to applications and renewal requests in a timely manner.
Conduct timely compliance investigations for all new applications and renewals for Independent Contractor Exemption Certificates, Contractor Registrations, Self-Insurance, Professional Employer Organizations, Subsequent Injury Fund, and Managed Care Organizations.
Goal #3: Streamline the independent contractor process for scanning documents with a prior application to be verified and used in meeting the requirements for renewal.