(1) Certification shall be renewed upon:

(a) payment of the applicable fee;

(b) completion of the renewal form provided by the department at any time during the certification period, but no later than the expiration of the certification period;

(c) verification of completion of 24 hours of approved continuing education courses during the current certification period, to include at least:

(i) four hours of training on workers' compensation statutes, administrative rules, and case law since the last certification; and

(ii) one hour of training on appropriate and ethical communication; and

(iii) other approved continuing education courses which may include but are not limited to mediation/negotiation; medical terminology; human anatomy; interpreting medical records; injured worker's rights and responsibilities; insurers' rights and responsibilities; prevention of injuries; stay-at-work/return-to-work training; and medical fee schedule reimbursements.

(2) The department may accept workers' compensation continuing education courses approved by the Office of Public Instruction, the state bar of Montana or the Montana insurance commissioner for the adjuster license requirements which meet the course criteria specified in these rules toward the 24 hours of approved courses required for the claims examiner certification renewal.

(3) No more than six hours of approved continuing education courses may be carried over to the next certification period. The request for approved continuing education courses to be carried over must be submitted with the renewal application for which the courses were taken.