SECTION 53.30. Filing of Wage Statement

(a) In cases in which the reported weekly compensation rate is less than the maximum prescribed by law, the insurance carrier shall file with the board and the claimant or his attorney a wage statement reporting the wages upon which the compensation rate is based. The wage statement shall accompany the Form A-1, report of initial payment of compensation, or in the event a wage statement is not available at the time of filing Form A-1, the carrier shall indicate on Form A-1 that a wage statement has been requested and shall file said form within a reasonable time, not to exceed 30 days from the date of initial payment of compensation.

(b) When an employer fails or refuses to promptly complete and return the wage statement to the carrier, the carrier shall notify the board of that fact and additionally shall supply the employer's current address to the board. The board will thereafter contact the employer pursuant to the provisions of Texas Civil Statutes, Article 8307, §7, and of these rules, and may impose appropriate sanctions against the employer for a continuing unexcused failure to respond to the request.

(c) If the carrier does not notify the board of the employer's failure to comply within 30 days of the carrier's first request for a wage statement, the board shall set the compensation rate based upon evidence in the file, and the carrier shall be required to pay the rate determined by the board beginning with the date that the initial payment of compensation was due and continuing until the wage statement is filed with the board or until the carrier is authorized to stop or suspend compensation.

Source Note: The provisions of this §53.30 adopted to be effective November 11, 1983, 8 TexReg 4495.