11 CAR § 25-121. Conferences with legal advisor

	
		
		
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		<p class="csBD4C5ED5"><span class="csC7173355">        </span><span class="cs7D434CDE">11 CAR &sect; 25-121. Conferences with legal advisor.</span></p><p class="csBD4C5ED5"><span class="csC7173355">        (a)(1) Pursuant to Arkansas Code &sect; 11-9-703 and legislative mandate, the Legal Advisor Division is directed to set and to conduct preliminary conferences, called mediation conferences, with the goal of mediating disputed issues between claimants and respondents. </span></p><p class="csBD4C5ED5"><span class="csC7173355">                (2) A mediation conference shall be held in all cases in which the amount in dispute is two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) or less.</span></p><p class="csBD4C5ED5"><span class="csC7173355">        (b)(1) Upon written request by either party for a formal hearing, the mediator shall determine whether the dispute between the parties exceeds an amount of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500). </span></p><p class="csBD4C5ED5"><span class="csC7173355">                (2) If the mediator determines it does not, a mediation conference order shall be issued scheduling a mediation conference within thirty (30) days of the date of said determination.</span></p><p class="csBD4C5ED5"><span class="csC7173355">        (c)(1) The mediation conference shall be informal, nonbinding, and strictly confidential. </span></p><p class="csBD4C5ED5"><span class="csC7173355">                (2) The mediator is authorized to compel attendance at the conference but is not authorized to compel settlement. </span></p><p class="csBD4C5ED5"><span class="csC7173355">                (3) The mediator is not authorized to disclose any conference proceedings or communications.</span></p><p class="csBD4C5ED5"><span class="csC7173355">        (d)(1) Attendance by the parties, and/or a representative of each party having full authority to settle all issues, is required. </span></p><p class="csBD4C5ED5"><span class="csC7173355">                (2) Sanctions may be imposed upon any party willfully failing to attend a mediation conference without good cause. </span></p><p class="csBD4C5ED5"><span class="csC7173355">                (3) Sanctions may include dismissal, default, and/or fines as provided in Arkansas Code &sect; 11-9-706.</span></p><p class="csBD4C5ED5"><span class="csC7173355">        (e) Mediation conferences may be conducted by telephone conference call or in person, in the county where the accident occurred, if the accident occurred in Arkansas, unless otherwise agreed to by the parties, or otherwise directed by the Workers&rsquo; Compensation Commission.</span></p><p class="csBD4C5ED5"><span class="csC7173355">        (f)(1) Following the conference, the Report of Mediation Conference (Form R) shall be placed in the file and copies sent to the parties. </span></p><p class="csBD4C5ED5"><span class="csC7173355">                (2) The file shall then be returned to the Clerk of the Commission for further disposition prior to being returned to open general files.</span></p><p class="csBD4C5ED5"><span class="csC7173355">        (g) The mediation conferences shall be conducted according to policies and procedures approved and published by the commission.</span></p><p class="csBD4C5ED5"><span class="csC7173355">        (h) If all parties agree to voluntary mediation, the commission will provide mediation services regardless of the amount in dispute. </span></p>