Computation of Time

(a) Due dates and time periods under this Act shall be computed as follows:

(1) computing a period of days. In counting a period of time measured by days, the first day is excluded and the last day is included.

(2) computing a period of months. If a number of months is to be computed by counting the months from a particular day, the period ends on the same numerical day in the concluding month as the day of the month from which the computation is begun, unless there are not that many days in the concluding month, in which case the period ends on the last day of that month.

(3) unless otherwise specified, if the last day of any period is not a working day, the period is extended to include the next day that is a working day.

(b) A working day is any day, Monday-Friday, other than a national holiday as defined by Texas Government Code, §662.003(a) and the Friday after Thanksgiving Day, December 24th and December 26th. Use in this title of the term "day," rather than "working day" shall mean a calendar day.

(c) Normal business hours in the Texas workers' compensation system are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central Standard Time with the exception of the Commission's El Paso field office whose normal business hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time.

(d) Any written or telephonic communications received other than during normal business hours on working days are considered received at the beginning of normal business hours on the next working day.

(e) Unless otherwise specified by rule, any written or telephonic communications required to be filed by a specified time will be considered timely only if received prior to the end of normal business hours on the last permissible day of filing.

(f) If there is a conflict between this rule and a specific provision of another rule that is applicable to a specific type of benefit, the other rule prevails.