Worker’s comp division rolls out e-warrant filing system

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Wisconsin’s Department of Workforce Development Division of Worker’s Compensation has rolled out a new electronic warrant filing system that, according to the DWD, streamlines the process to file warrants and will save tens of thousands of dollars annually.

The new electronic warrant (e-warrant) filing system, developed with the cooperation of the Wisconsin Court System, allows Division of Worker’s Compensation staff to file warrants with Wisconsin circuit courts when it looks to recover benefits costs paid out of the state’s Uninsured Employers Fund. The UEF pays benefits on claims filed by employees who are injured while working for illegally uninsured employers.

The worker’s comp e-warrant filing project streamlines the warranting process for more than 4,000 transactions annually. Examples of process improvements include:

• Eliminating daily printing, transporting, and mailing of paper warrants.
• Improving overall accuracy through automated data transfers.
• Allowing for one-day processing of warrant, satisfaction and withdrawal transactions.

Estimated savings through these process enhancements surpass $55,000 per year for the worker’s comp system, which is funded through an annual administrative assessment on insurance carriers and self-insured employers. Earlier in July, the Wisconsin Commissioner of Insurance approved an overall 8.84 percent rate decrease for worker’s comp premiums for businesses, marking the fourth consecutive year of decline.

Work on the project began in September 2018 and was completed in June.