(1) The department shall educate all persons providing or receiving benefits pursuant to this chapter as to their rights and responsibilities under this chapter.
(2) The department shall publish an understandable guide to the workers’ compensation system which shall contain an explanation of benefits provided; services provided by the Employee Assistance and Ombudsman Office; procedures regarding mediation, the hearing process, and civil and criminal penalties; relevant rules of the department; and such other information as the department believes will inform employees, employers, carriers, and those providing services pursuant to this chapter of their rights and responsibilities under this chapter and the rules of the department. For the purposes of this subsection, a guide is understandable if the text of the guide is written at a level of readability not exceeding the eighth grade level, as determined by a recognized readability test.
(3) The guide must be updated as necessary and must be available at cost.
(4) The guide does not constitute either rules or agency action for purposes of chapter 120.
History.—ss. 41, 43, ch. 89-289; s. 56, ch. 90-201; s. 52, ch. 91-1; s. 27, ch. 93-415; s. 34, ch. 2002-194.