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The Management Labor Advisory Committee, or MLAC, is a place for employers and labor to meet to discuss, explore, and resolve issues with the workers' compensation system.

As MLAC members, we give advice, and make recommendations to the governor and legislature about proposals affecting workers' compensation in Oregon. As a committee, we are guided by the values

of balance, fairness, adequacy, affordability, efficiency, stability, flexibility, and predictability.

Together, they form the lens through which we evaluate all proposals. You can read more about our values on the MLAC webpage. If you have a proposal you want us to consider, please give us as

much advance notice as you can, as early in the legislative session as possible. Don't worry if it

is already during session. We will do our best with the information you provide. Your proposal should

be well developed and have been discussed with the different parties it affects before you come to us.

We realize you may not be able to provide us with all of the information we find useful; but, in

general we would like to know six things when you present your proposal. Number one: We need to know the problem you are trying to solve. Tell us why this is an issue, what caused it, and how many workers it affects.

Number two: Has this issue ever been addressed in the past? If yes, tell us what was done, and why you think this issue persists. 
Number three: We need to know what your proposal does.

What are the fiscal effects on the affected parties, such as workers, employers, insurers medical providers, or the Workers' Compensation Division? Do you have an idea how many claims may be involved or what laws may be affected by your proposal? You will need to work with the Workers' Compensation Division to get a potential system cost for your proposal before you present to us. Number four: How does your proposal connect with the committee's values? Does it fairly meet the needs of both workers and employers? Is it stable enough to encourage consistency and efficiency,

yet flexible enough to change when necessary?

Number five: What data supports the effects of your proposal? What data is or is not available? Is there anything preventing you from getting this information?

Can we support a change without this information? 
And finally, number six: Have you reached out to stakeholders and affected parties,

and do they support your proposal? Do you have any feedback from the Ombuds Office for Oregon Workers or the Office of the Small Business Ombudsman for Workers' Compensation?

So how do you get your proposal before us? Call our administrator, Teri Watson

at 971 332 0260 or email her at teri.a.watson@dcbs.oregon.gov. We meet once every two weeks

during legislative sessions and once a month in the interim. For more information about MLAC, visit

www.oregon.gov/dcbs/mlac.