(a) An administrative law judge must, within 20 days after the official termination of the hearing, deliver by mail, or otherwise, to the district director that administered the claim, the transcript of the hearing, other documents or pleadings filed with him with respect to the claim, and his signed compensation order. Upon receipt thereof, the district director, being the official custodian of all records with respect to claims he administers, must formally date and file the transcript, pleadings, and compensation order in his office. Such filing must be accomplished by the close of business on the next succeeding working day, and the district director must, on the same day as the filing was accomplished, serve a copy of the compensation order on the parties and on the representatives of the parties, if any. Service on the parties and their representatives must be made by certified mail unless a party has previously waived service by this method under paragraph (b) of this section.

(b) All parties and their representatives are entitled to be served with compensation orders via registered or certified mail. Parties and their representatives may waive this right and elect to be served with compensation orders electronically by filing the appropriate waiver form with the district director responsible for administering the claim. To waive service by registered or certified mail, employers, insurance carriers, and their representatives must file form LS-801 (Waiver of Service by Registered or Certified Mail for Employers and/or Insurance Carriers), and claimants and their representatives must file form LS-802 (Waiver of Service by Registered or Certified Mail for Claimants and/or Authorized Representatives). A signature on a waiver form represents a knowing and voluntary waiver of that party's or representative's right to receive compensation orders via registered or certified mail.

(1) Waiving parties and representatives must provide a valid electronic address on the waiver form.

(2) Parties and representatives must submit a separate waiver form for each case in which they intend to waive the right to certified or registered mail service.

(3) A representative may not sign a waiver form on a party's behalf.

(4) All compensation orders issued in a claim after receipt of the waiver form will be sent to the electronic address provided on the waiver form. Any changes to the address must be made by submitting another waiver form. Individuals may revoke their service waiver at any time by submitting a new waiver form that specifies that the service waiver is being revoked.

(5) If it appears that service in the manner selected by the individual has not been effective, the district director will serve the individual by certified mail.

[80 FR 12931, Mar. 12, 2015]