The SDTF was created by the Florida Legislature in 1955 to encourage employers to hire and reemploy individuals with pre-existing permanent physical disabilities. If the employee experienced a new injury subsequent to being hired and that work-related injury resulted in a greater permanent impairment, the SDTF would reimburse the employer for excess costs. The SDTF is statutorily barred from accepting any new claims for dates of accident after December 31, 1997.

Section 440.49(9), Florida Statutes requires that workers’ compensation insurers and individual self insured employers continue to be assessed until all the run-off claims (unfunded liability) are paid. This estimated liability has been substantially reduced over time and is independently estimated to be $1,087,287,182 as of June 30, 2015.

Section 440.49(9) e, Florida Statutes requires the Division to report annually on the status of the Special Disability Trust Fund. The report, as determined by an independent actuary:

• Updates the estimated undiscounted and discounted fund liability,
• The change in the total number of notices of claim on file with the fund in addition to the number of newly filed notices of claim,
• The change in the number of proofs of claim processed by the fund,
• The fee revenues refunded and revenues applied to pay down the liability of the fund,
• The average time required to reimburse accepted claims, and
• The average administrative costs per claim.

The department or administrator shall submit its report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by December 1 of each year.

Yes. Here is a link to the list of recent SDTF Actuarial Reports: Reports

No. Florida statute strictly prohibits the Special Disability Trust Fund moneys from being used for anything other than the stated legislated purpose of carrier reimbursement.

The SDTF assessment is (like the WCATF Assessments) an annual assessment that shall become due and be paid quarterly.

Such amounts shall be paid within 30 days from the date that notice is served upon such carrier or 30 days after notification is sent, whichever is later.

If such amounts are not paid within the required time period, there may be assessed for each 30 days that the amount so assessed remains unpaid, a civil penalty equal to 10 percent of the amount so unpaid.

If any carrier fails to pay the amounts assessed against him or her under the provisions of this section within 60 days from the time such notice is served upon him or her, the office, upon being notified by the department, may suspend or revoke the authorization to insure compensation in accordance with the procedure in Section 440.38(3)(a), Florida Statutes.

All payment must be accompanied by an invoice obtained through the web-based START System. Your WCATF assessment must be paid at the same time as the SDTF Assessment.

Send payment using US Postal Service Mail:

Division of Workers’ Compensation
Assessment Unit
P.O. Box 7300
Tallahassee, FL 32399-7300

Send payment using Overnight Courier:

Division of Workers’ Compensation
Assessment Unit
200 E Gaines St
Tallahassee, FL 32399-4221

Mark Reichmuth
200 East Gaines Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-4221
(850) 413-1753
Mark.Reichmuth@MyFloridaCFO.com