1. (1) “Act”: Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 50, Chapter 6.
2. (2) “Administrator”: The chief administrative officer of the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation or the Administrator’s designee.
3. (3) “Bureau”: The Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation as defined in T.C.A. § 50-6- 102, an autonomous unit attached to the Department of Labor and Workforce Development for administrative matters only under T.C.A. § 4-3-1409.
4. (4) “Claim”: A demand for something as due; or an assertion of a right or an alleged right.
5. (5) “Claimant”: An individual who is claiming benefits under the Tennessee workers’ compensation law.
6. (6) “Claims Administrator”: A neutral third party retained by the Bureau to comply with the requirements set forth in T.C.A. §§ 50-6-801 et seq. and with orders of the Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims.
7. (7) “Court”: The Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims.
8. (8) “Denial”: Final notification from the Bureau, following a compensation hearing with the Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims, that benefits from the Fund will not be paid to an employee.
9. (9) “Employee”: The same definition as in T.C.A. § 50-6-102(12)(A)-(E).
10. (10) “Employer”: The same definition as in T.C.A. § 50-6-102(13).
11. (11) “Fund” and “UEF”: The Uninsured Employers Fund established in T.C.A. § 50-6-801.
12. (12) “Mediator”: A Bureau of Workers’ Compensation employee who has received training in alternative dispute resolution, as described in T.C.A. § 50-6-236.
13. (13) “Ombudsman”: A Bureau of Workers’ Compensation employee who assists injured workers in resolving disputes and obtaining information available under the Tennessee workers’ compensation law, as described in T.C.A. § 50-6-216.
14. (14) “Third-Party Administrator (TPA)”: An organization that has contracted with the Bureau to handle administrative claims for benefits under the Uninsured Employers Fund benefit program.
15. (15) “UEF Benefit Coordinator”: A Bureau of Workers’ Compensation employee who serves as a liaison between the Bureau, the Third-Party Administrator, the injured employee, and the legal community regarding matters related to the Uninsured Employers Fund benefit program.
16. (16) “Uninsured”: An employer who fails to secure payment of compensation.

Authority: T.C.A. §§ 4-3-1409, 50-6-102, 50-6-216, 50-6-236, 50-6-801, 50-6-802, and 50-6-803. Administrative History: Original rules filed January 2, 2019; effective April 2, 2019. Amendments filed February 2, 2022; effective May 3, 2022.