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Office of the Judges of Compensation Claims
Office of the Judges of Compensation Claims (OJCC), is one function of the Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH). Through the OJCC, DOAH provides Administrative Law Judges that are tasked with adjudicating disputes over workers' compensation benefits. Workers' Compensation is intended to provide individuals injured at work with medical treatment and partial income replacement when a work injury or illness occurs. There are instances where a carrier will refuse to provide benefits that the injured worker feels they are entitled to. When those disputes arise, OJCC is the entity that adjudicates those disputes.

Authority and Rules
Principally defined by Florida Statute §440, Workers' Compensation is a self-executing system, which is intended to indemnify injured workers through benefits for medical treatment, and/or by replacing a portion of lost wages due to the accident. Florida Statute §440 is the rule making authority for the Office of the Judges of Compensation Claims. Pursuant to Fla. Stat. §440, all proceedings done through OJCC follow the Chapter 60Q-6 Rules of Procedure for Workers' Compensation Adjudications.(60-Q Rules).

History
Florida Governor [|Governor David Sholtz] passed "Workmen's Compensation in 1935. The passage of Workmen's Compensation Law in Florida brought about the original Office of the Judge's of Compensation Claims (OJCC), as it is known today. However, the job titles and responsibilities were not the same. The Florida Legislature introduced the Florida Industrial Commission(FIC) in 1935. The FIC was made up of three members, and was originally set to only hear cases on appeal. However, for the first four years of its' existence, the FIC heard all workers' compensation cases. The hiring of deputy commissioners made it possible for the F.I.C (or present day OJCC) to fill its' original role as the appellate process for Workers' Compensation matters. There would be no major changes in responsibility until about thirty years later. The appellate process was moved to the Industrial Relations

Overview
Most claims reported by injured workers are resolved through Workers' Compenstation benefits paid by their employer or the employers' insurance company. Those claims will never make it to OJCC. Division of Workers' Compensation (DWC).