Workers' Compensation

The Workers’ Compensation (WC) Program provides compensation to employees for work-related injuries or illnesses, including medical treatment, temporary payment of lost wages, and permanent disability payments and is the exclusive remedy for an employee who is injured on the job.

All State of California employees are eligible.

ABSENCE REPORTING
After receiving treatment for the injury or illness, the employee must inform his/her supervisor of the physician’s medical opinion concerning the employee’s ability to return to work. All time off due to the injury or illness must be reported on the Project Accounting and Leave (PAL) system. No time is charged against leave credits on the day the injury or illness occurred; however, a notation must be made to show the date of injury on the PAL system.

WAITING PERIOD
Before the start of benefits, injured employees will serve a waiting period of three-calendar days. The waiting period need not be consecutive days. Partial days of absence for doctor appointments or authorized periods of disability may be accumulated to equal full days and charged to the waiting period. The waiting period is waived if the:

• Injury was caused by a criminal act of violence, or

• Employee is disabled more than 14 calendar days, or

• Employee is eligible under Labor Code Section 4800/4800.5

BENEFITS AVAILABLE
There are seven types of temporary disability benefit programs available to state employees under WC:

1. Industrial Disability Leave (IDL)
2. Industrial Disability Leave with Supplementation (IDL/S)
3. Enhanced Industrial Disability Leave (EIDL)
4. Labor Code Section 4800 (peace officers only)
5. Labor Code Section 4800.5 (peace officers only)
6. Temporary Disability (TD)
7. Temporary Disability with Supplementation (TD/S)

RETURN TO WORK UNIT
The Return to Work Unit, within the Office of Human Resources (OHR), is responsible for assisting employees who have been injured or ill that are work related. The primary objective of the unit is to return the injured or ill employee(s) to gainful employment as quickly as possible. The unit is also responsible for monitoring the administration of the department’s WC claims program and for case management. Fault or negligence by the employer or the employee is not considered in the injured employee’s claim for benefits.