AWCC Offers Spanish Language Forms on Web Site

The Arkansas Workers’ Compensation Commission (AWCC) announced the availability on its Web site of Spanish translations of two forms, AWCC Spanish Form AR-P (poster of instructions) and Spanish Form AR-N (employee notice to employer/employer notice to employee). The forms contain the same data as the English versions. They are available on the AWCC home page, www.awcc.state.ar.us, by clicking “Forms.”

AWCC introduced the forms on Oct. 15, 2004, at its annual educational conference.

By statute and rule, Arkansas requires employers under the jurisdiction of the state’s workers’ compensation laws to have posted a notice of instructions on what is to be done by both the employer and employee in the event of a job-related injury or illness (Ark. Code Ann. § 11-9-403, 11-9-407, AWCC Rule 7).

Arkansas law also requires the employee, if the poster of instructions is posted and displayed conspicuously, to give written notice of the accident to the employer (Ark. Code Ann. § 11-9-701). The employer is required to give or send to the worker a notice of rights and responsibilities for workers’ compensation benefits (Ark. Code Ann. § 11-9-514).

It is the AWCC administrative position that utilization of these two forms in Spanish will assist employers and their employees in complying with these regulations in the midst of the state’s expanding multi-cultural society.

Those with questions about these forms may contact the AWCC Information Officer in the Support Services Division, rlucy@awcc.state.ar.us, (501) 682-3930, or (800) 622-4472.

Persons with questions about the laws may contact the AWCC Legal Advisor Division, (501) 682-2707, (800) 250-2511, or (800) 354-2711.