[Effective until 7/1/2029]

(a)

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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 50-6-411

  • Administrator: means the chief administrative officer of the bureau of workers' compensation of the department of labor and workforce development. See Tennessee Code 50-6-102
  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
  • Employee: includes every person, including a minor, whether lawfully or unlawfully employed, the president, any vice president, secretary, treasurer or other executive officer of a corporate employer without regard to the nature of the duties of the corporate officials, in the service of an employer, as employer is defined in subdivision (11), under any contract of hire or apprenticeship, written or implied. See Tennessee Code 50-6-102
  • Employer: includes any individual, firm, association or corporation, the receiver or trustee of the individual, firm, association or corporation, or the legal representative of a deceased employer, using the services of not less than five (5) persons for pay, except as provided in §. See Tennessee Code 50-6-102
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Person: includes a corporation, firm, company or association. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Reporter: Makes a record of court proceedings and prepares a transcript, and also publishes the court's opinions or decisions (in the courts of appeals).
  • Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
(1) In order to carry out the purposes of this chapter, the administrator or the administrator’s designee, upon receipt of sufficient information to give reasonable cause that an employer may be in violation of the insurance requirements of this chapter and upon the compliance specialist presenting appropriate credentials to the owner, operator, or agent in charge, is authorized:

(A) To inspect and investigate the places of employment and pertinent conditions; business records, including complete payroll and tax information; certificates of insurance; sign in and sign out sheets for jobsites; and vendor lists; and
(B) To question privately an employer, owner, operator, agent, worker, or employee.
(2) The administrator or the administrator’s designee may request, and the general contractor shall provide, a list of amounts paid by the general contractor to subcontractors on the jobsite.
(b) The administrator or the administrator’s designee shall designate representatives who may serve subpoenas and other process of the bureau issued under this chapter.
(c)

(1) For the purposes of workers’ compensation insurance compliance investigations, the administrator or administrator’s designee may issue and serve subpoenas:

(A) For the attendance of witnesses at administrative hearings; and
(B) For the production of books, documents, or other tangible things that may be relevant, or reasonably calculated, to lead to the discovery of relevant information necessary to determine whether the employer is subject to this chapter held by the employer or third parties, including, but not limited to, general contractors, subcontractors, intermediate contractors, accountants and tax preparers, insurance agents and carriers, and banking institutions.
(2)

(A) Information requested in a subpoena under subdivision (c)(1)(B) must be submitted to the bureau within twenty-one (21) calendar days of service of the subpoena.
(B) If an employer or entity wishes to dispute the subpoena, then the employer or entity shall submit that dispute with particularity, in writing, to the administrator or the administrator’s designee within ten (10) calendar days of service of the subpoena.
(C) Failure to timely comply with the subpoena issued and served under subdivision (c)(1)(B) may result in an assessment by the bureau of civil penalties against the employer and third-party holder of information relevant to the bureau’s investigation. The penalties, if assessed by the bureau, may be in an amount not less than fifty dollars ($50.00) per day per subpoena until the requested information is provided, or five thousand dollars ($5,000) per subpoena, whichever is less.
(3)

(A) In addition to civil penalties, if a person refuses to obey a subpoena to appear for an administrative hearing or to produce evidence requested by the administrator or the administrator’s designee, then the administrator or the administrator’s designee may seek an order requiring compliance with the subpoena in the chancery court where the person named in the subpoena resides. The chancery court may find a person who refuses to obey an order requiring compliance with a subpoena in contempt.
(B) In addition to civil penalties, the person who refuses to comply with a subpoena under this section shall pay costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, court costs, and court reporter attendance and transcription costs, incurred by the administrator or the administrator’s designee in obtaining an order to enforce the subpoena.
(4) An employer or entity who is aggrieved pursuant to this section may appeal under the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5.
(d) Penalties assessed pursuant to this section must be deposited in the employee misclassification education and enforcement fund established by § 50-6-913 to be administered by the administrator.