(1) A new hire or claims examiner trainee may, for a period of not more than 180 days, perform tasks otherwise required to be performed by a certified claims examiner, if the employer has designated a certified claims examiner as being accountable for the decisions made by the new hire or claims examiner trainee.

(2) The employer of a new hire or claims examiner trainee must maintain documentation for each claim being handled by a new hire or claims examiner trainee, of the certified claims examiner who is accountable for the decisions made by that new hire or claims examiner trainee.

(a) The employer may change the certified claims examiner designated as being accountable for decisions on a claim being handled by a new hire or claims examiner trainee at any time, so long as that change is appropriately documented within the insurer's records.

(b) The documentation required by this section must be promptly made available to the department, the injured worker, or the attorney of an injured worker, if that information is requested in writing.

(3) A person who is a new hire or claims examiner trainee that does not timely become a certified claims examiner is not allowed to perform tasks that are required to be performed by a certified claims examiner.