The Law Office of Alice A. Strombom helps workers in Sacramento. When you’re injured on the job, you have certain rights and options. Part of this legal protection involves workers’ compensation. To learn more about these laws and what you can do if you feel your employer is violating them, contact us today to set up a no-obligation consultation.

Workers’ Compensation Laws in California

No matter where you work in California, the possibility of being injured on the job exists. Now, this is more likely if you work in certain industries in California, like agriculture or construction, but it exists nonetheless.

One of the most important legal protections in place for workers involves California’s workers’ compensation requirements. To quickly define it, workers’ compensation is:

• Benefits available to employees that get hurt or sick while performing their job duties.

Here’s a look at some of the workers’ compensation laws in place in California:

• LAB 3208 – An injury refers to any injury or disease that can come out of your employment.
  
  
• LAB 3351 – Employers are required to provide workers’ compensation benefits to all employees.
  
  
• LAB 132(a) – This makes it against the law for your employer to harass or otherwise retaliate against you for filing a workers’ compensation claim.
  
  
• LAB 4600 – 4700 – Workers’ compensation benefits can include:
  • Medical care like hospital services or doctor visits, surgeries, etc.
  • Temporary disability
  • Permanent injury or disability
  • Retraining
  • Death
    
    
• LAB 5400 – An employee has thirty days to give their employer written notice of an injury.
  
  
• LAB 5401 – An employer has to provide an injured employee with a claim form (DWC 1) within one day of learning of the injury.
  
  
• LAB 5402 – The employer can authorize medical treatment of up to $10,000 while the workers’ compensation claim is pending.
  
  
• LAB 5403 – If the employer fails to give notice under LAB 5400, it could result in further penalties against them by the Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC)
  
  
• LAB 5405 – As an employee, you have one year from the injury to file a workers’ compensation claim.
  
  
• SB 533 – Employers are now required to put written policies in place regarding prevention of workplace violence and training programs.

This is an ongoing list, so check back for updates.