Commission Keeps Local Workers’ Comp Office Open

SPRINGDALE — The Arkansas Workers’ Compensation Commission will keep its Springdale satellite office open.

The commission was tasked with closing either the Springdale or Fort Smith offices to help deal with $135 million in unfunded liabilities in its Death and Permanent Disability Trust Fund.

The Fort Smith office will close by July 1.

At A Glance

Workers’ Compensation Offices

The Arkansas Workers’ Compensation Commission has headquarters in Little Rock and satellite offices in Springdale and Fort Smith.

The Springdale office is at 244 S. 40th St.

Source: Staff Report

Workers’ compensation is a form of insurance providing lost wages and medical costs to an employee who is injured or gets sick from job-related duties.

A memo sent from D. Alan McClain, commission chief executive officer, to the commission Tuesday stated the decision factored input from staff at both offices, communication received by the commission and the governor’s office and cost analysis.

“This reflects the awareness that Northwest Arkansas, and Springdale in particular, is a job generator for the state and huge job engine,” said Bill Rogers, vice president for communications and special projects at the Springdale Chamber of Commerce.

Rogers said Northwest Arkansas' economy is growing at a rapid rate and continually adding jobs, giving the commission a strong reason to keep the Springdale office open.

“We are very pleased our region is able to keep this resource open for our employees and businesses,” he said.

James Daniel, assistant chief executive officer of the commission, said expenses in the last fiscal year, excluding salaries, were $48,205 in Springdale and $53,367 in Fort Smith.

Daniel said Fort Smith workers can transfer to the Springdale office. The commission employs three people in Springdale, six in Fort Smith and 99 in Little Rock.

While no one is being laid off in closing, the commission has reduced staffing through attrition. Watson Bell, commission chairman, previously said staffing shrunk from 140 in 2002 to 108 this year.

The main function of the local office is to host workers’ compensation hearings. Daniel said the commission will continue to holding hearings in Fort Smith, they just won’t be at a dedicated workers’ comp office after July 1. He said hearings will be held at places such as the county courthouse.

“The public will feel no impact from the office’s closure,” Daniel said.

State law mandates a workers’ compensation hearing is held in the county where the employee was injured or lives unless they agree for it to be held elsewhere.

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