Workers’ Compensation Return To Work Program AB-553

 If you have received a supplemental job displacement voucher for vocational rehabilitation document in 2017 or expect to get one next year, this is important news for you about the Workers’ Compensation Return To Work Program.

The Workers’ Compensation Return-To-Work Program fund benefit currently is $5000 if you unable to return to your occupation before your work injury. This proposed law will increase that $5000 to$25,000. That will better distribute and exhaust the return to work fund which is replenished every year for $120 million.

Workers’ Compensation Return To Work Program supplement payment program

This proposed workers compensation law would require the Division of Worker’s Compensation to imply with the intent of the Workers’ Compensation Return To Work Program supplement payment program for injured workers. The state is authorized to disburse $120 million per year in the amount of $5000 for each injured worker since the program began in 2014. Since 2014 the state has actually dispersed less than $78 million to just over 15,000 injured workers.

AB 553 would require the state to disperse the entire $120 million every year starting with the end of the calendar year for 2017 and every year thereafter for a maximum of $25,000 total for each injured worker to receive from the program. If you have already received a supplemental job displacement voucher in 2017 this legislation will affect you.

This proposed law for the Workers’ Compensation Return To Work Program is now complete in the state assembly. The pending law has moved to the state Senate as of June 1, 2017. Call or write your California State Senator and give your support for this legislation. To find your state senator click on the link below.

http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov

It was the intent of this legislature that the full $120 million be collected from employers and dispersed each year. This bill would not create additional costs for employers, it would simply require enforcement of existing law and making it equitable for California injured workers.

You can read the full text of the proposed Workers’ Compensation Return To Work Program law here as well as keep track of the status of this legislation:

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB553