[Motivational music]

(Ombuds for Oregon Workers Barb Anderson)
The Ombuds Office for Oregon Workers is an advocate for Oregon workers as it relates

to workers' compensation and workplace safety and health. This means more than just explaining worker rights, responsibilities, and benefits. It also means representing workers as it relates to rulemaking and statutory law changes. There are many reasons workers will contact the ombuds office. 
Some of the most common reasons are how to file a worker's compensation claim; who is the insurance carrier; where do I submit the claim; how do I get medical treatment; why is my benefit check not here? Oftentimes workers feel like they're not heard. They feel like the industry is driven by the insurance company, their employers, the government. We're here to speak on their behalf and explain their rights and responsibilities. And sometimes, just be the connection between them and the insurance company. The ombuds office is a neutral party. We often get workers afraid to come to us because they're in some of our underserved communities. Maybe they're undocumented, they're afraid of their employers, but they can remain anonymous. Their privacy is very important to us. The workers' compensation process can be very confusing. There are so many different variables. We are here to help workers and employers navigate the whole entire process. 
One of the most common reasons an employer would contact the ombuds office is asking how they file a workers' compensation claim on behalf of their employee. Language should never be a barrier. 

The ombuds office has bilingual staff available, and we can help in every language.

There are many ways to contact the ombuds office: by phone, by email, you can fill out a complaint form on our website, or you can even stop in at the Salem office and either meet with us in person or see us virtually. We are here to help you, and our team is very passionate about what we do.