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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>80386</law_id><section_number>65.2-205</section_number><catch_line>Ombudsman program; confidentiality</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="65.2">Workers' Compensation</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="2">Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> The <span class="dictionary">Commission</span> may create an Ombudsman program and appoint an ombudsman to administer such program. The purpose of the Ombudsman program shall be to provide neutral educational information and assistance to persons who are not represented by an attorney, including those persons who have claims pending or docketed before the <span class="dictionary">Commission</span>. The ombudsman shall be an attorney licensed by the Virginia State Bar, in active status, and in good standing. The ombudsman and any Ombudsman program personnel shall carry out their duties with impartiality and shall not serve as an advocate for any person or provide legal advice. <a id="paragraph-287923" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/65.2-205/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> All memoranda, work products, and other <span class="dictionary">materials</span> contained in the <span class="dictionary">case files</span> of the ombudsman or Ombudsman program personnel shall be confidential. Any communication between the ombudsman or Ombudsman program personnel and a person receiving assistance as provided by this section that is made during or in connection with the provision of Ombudsman program services, including screening, intake, and scheduling, shall be confidential.
			Confidential <span class="dictionary">materials</span> and communications are not subject to disclosure and shall not be <span class="dictionary">admissible</span> in any judicial or administrative proceeding except where (i) a threat to inflict bodily <span class="dictionary">injury</span> is made; (ii) communications are intentionally used to plan, attempt to commit, or commit a <span class="dictionary">crime</span> or conceal an ongoing <span class="dictionary">crime</span>; (iii) a complaint is made against Ombudsman program personnel by a person receiving assistance to the extent necessary for the complainant to prove misconduct or the Ombudsman program personnel to defend against such complaint; or (iv) communications are sought or offered to prove or disprove a claim or complaint of misconduct or malpractice <span class="dictionary">filed</span> against the legal representative of a person who received assistance from the Ombudsman program.
			Confidential <span class="dictionary">materials</span> and communications as described in this section are not subject to mandatory disclosure under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Short title; policy" href="/2.2-3700/">2.2-3700</a> et seq.). <a id="paragraph-287924" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/65.2-205/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> The ombudsman and Ombudsman program personnel are immune from civil liability in their performance of the duties specified in this section. <a id="paragraph-287925" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/65.2-205/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2020, c. 616.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
