Thompson v. District of Columbia Department of Employment Services

# Thompson v. District of Columbia Department of Employment Services **What Happened** Thompson applied for workers' compensation benefits from the District of Columbia but was denied. He then tried to challenge this denial by filing a request for review, but he missed the deadline—filing more than 30 days after receiving the denial notice. Thompson argued he had relied on advice from the agency when deciding when to file. **What the Court Decided** The court sided with the Department of Employment Services and upheld the dismissal of Thompson's late application. Because Thompson failed to file within the required 30-day window and did not properly preserve his argument about following agency advice, the court would not reconsider his case. **Why This Matters for Workers** This ruling emphasizes that deadlines in workers' compensation cases are strict and firm. Workers who are denied benefits must act quickly—within 30 days—to appeal. Even if an agency employee gives you incorrect guidance, it may not excuse a missed deadline. Workers should carefully track all deadlines and file appeals promptly, or risk permanently losing their right to challenge a denial.