Employee earnings reports are a standard reporting form used by Florida workers’ compensation insurance carriers to report all earnings of any nature. The employer or carrier may be able to withhold the payment of benefits for any period during which the employee willfully fails or refuses to report, upon request by the employer or carrier in the manner prescribed by the administrative rules.
Florida Administrative Code Rule 69L-3.021(2) requires an employee to return a completed Earnings Report Form within twenty-one days after receipt from the Employer/Carrier. Therefore, the Claimant will lose his or her benefits if he or she does not complete the Employee Earnings Report Form correctly. Sections (3) and (4) of the Code state:
(3) If the employee refuses to report information requested in accordance with subsection (1) or (2) above within 21 days after receipt of the request, payments of workers’ compensation disability benefits for temporary total, temporary partial, permanent total or permanent total supplemental compensation shall cease until such time as the employee furnishes the signed form.
(4) For dates of accident on or after October 1, 2003, upon the request of the claims-handling entity, any employee eligible for impairment income benefits shall complete, sign, and return Form DFS-F2-DWC-19 within 21 days after receiving it to report all earnings. The claims-handling entity may require the employee to send Form DFS-F2-DWC-19 no more than once a month. If the employee refuses to report earnings within 21 days after receipt of the request, payments of workers’ compensation disability benefits for impairment income benefits shall cease until such time as the employee furnishes the signed form.
