KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• At this time, the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board requires all Request for Further Action by Insurer/Employer forms (Form RFA-2) be submitted electronically via eCase – paper RFA-2 forms are no longer accepted or acted upon

• Carriers and self-insured employers who want to give defense counsel the ability to file the eForm RFA-2 must add counsel as a Party of Interest (POI)

• To add counsel as a POI – enabling them to file the RFA-2 on your behalf – your administrator should access the claim, go to the “Party of Interest” tab, and choose the option to add a party of interest

Instructions for Adding a Representative to a Specific Case

The carrier eCase Administrator may add defense counsel to notice, which will allow access to the eForm button and RFA-2. Detailed instructions may be found here: https://www.wcb.ny.gov/content/ebiz/ecase/party-of-interest-representatives.jsp

To Add a Representative as a POI to a Specific Case:

• Select the POI tab in eCase.
• In the Case ID field, enter the WCB case number and select Case Search or press Enter on your keyboard.
• Verify any current POI associations.
  • If any representatives are already associated with the case, the ID numbers, names, and party of interest type (representative or TPA) are displayed under Current POI Associations.
• In the District field, select the appropriate district for the case, if needed.
• In the Name field, enter the name of the representative you want to add.
• Select the Search button.
• From the list of names displayed, select the name you wish to add, then select OK.
• The new representative’s information automatically floods the Add POI and Association sections, displaying the new representative’s name and address.
• From the newly filled POI drop-down list, select the POI ID you are adding the R Number to.
• Select Add POI to Current POI Associations to confirm your selection.
• Select OK on the confirmation message – the R Number should now be displayed in the Current POI Associations screen.
• If you need to add an additional R Number(s) to the same case, repeat the steps above.
• To find another case, select Reset and start the POI process over again.

To Add a Representative as a POI to Multiple Cases

• You can add a representative as a party of interest to all cases in a specified district or statewide by starting with the REP tab.

Obtaining Access for TPA eCase Administrators

TPAs have limited access to add defense counsel, but should be able to perform the function in these two scenarios:

1. If you are a TPA who is also a part of a carrier group and have legal agreements on file for the W-number in addition to your T-number.
2. If you have a legal agreement on file for that W-number, you may verify under the Assign Case Access tab for eCase Administrators. Any W-numbers with agreements on file for your carrier group would be listed under this tab.

• In most instances, if you are the “exclusive” TPA for an insurer – for example, a self-insured employer with a W-number – you may have access to add defense counsel to notice. If you are the exclusive TPA for a primary insurer, there will be a PI next to your name on the Party of Interest tab in eCase.

For questions or further information, please contact:

• Timothy J. Connolly, III
• Or another member of our Workers’ Compensation team