Oklahoma Administrative Code
Title 810 - Oklahoma Workers' Compensation Commission
Chapter 20 - Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Section 810:20-1-3 - Contested vocational rehabilitation cases

(a) If vocational rehabilitation services are not voluntarily offered by the employer or the insurance carrier, and accepted by the injured employee entitled to such services, the Commission, upon request or on its own motion, may refer the employee to a vocational rehabilitation evaluator for evaluation of the practicability of, need for, and kind of service or training necessary and appropriate to restore the employee to gainful employment.

(b) If, upon receipt of the evaluator's written report, the parties dispute the report or are unable to agree on a vocational rehabilitation plan recommended by the evaluator and commence the vocational rehabilitation services, they may attempt to resolve the dispute through mediation or forego mediation and proceed directly to a contested case hearing before the assigned administrative law judge. The administrative law judge, after notice and affording the parties an opportunity to be heard and offer evidence, may order that the services recommended by the evaluator, or such other vocational rehabilitation services as deemed appropriate by the administrative law judge, be provided at the expense of the employer or insurance carrier.

(c) Contested hearings before the administrative law judge shall be conducted as provided in Subchapter 5 of Chapter 10 of this Title.