VWC Style Guide

VWC STYLE GUIDE

Rev. 02/24

D Data The word typically takes singular verbs and pronouns when writing for general audiences. For example: The data is sound. Use databank and database, but data processing (n. and adj.) and data center. Date of Injury (DOI) Use date of injury, not date of accident. Dates Per AP Style, use a comma after the year in a sentence: For example: “On January 1, 2020, record winds were recorded.” Do not use a comma between month and year. Correct: January 2020, Incorrect: January, 2020 Use the current year with the date only if it is needed for clarity or to avoid confusion. Exception to AP Style: Spell out the month, even when used with a specific date: January 1, 2020 not Jan. 1, 2020. Defendants This term is used once a claim reaches adjudication. The term encompasses the employer, insurance carrier and claim administrator. The plural possessive is defendants’. Dependent This is the official term used in the Act, otherwise known as the beneficiary in a death claim. CASPER classifies these as “The Estate of” on all outgoing documents. Dispute Form Use “Employer’s Application for Hearing”, not “Dispute Form”. E Email Use the AP Style, which is lowercase and no hyphen: email. Emphasis Do not use bold, underline, italics or all caps for emphasis in online publication content. Employee- injured worker Once an injured worker files a claim, they are then called a claimant. Do not use the term “employee.” They are a worker, injured worker, or a claimant. For EDI specific data requests, the EDI QA Department will use the IAIABC terminology in their notifications. Employees- VWC employees For outgoing correspondences, use the term “VWC employees”. If sending an informal or internal communication, use “Team Members”. Do not use “staff”.

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