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The goal of the latest effort to overhaul California’s workers’ compensation system is to provide more care to injured workers without raising premiums for businesses. Above, workers at jeans maker Koos Manufacturing in South Gate. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times) Also American Airlines seeks to cancel labor contracts Labor leaders throw support behind Obama […]

Hearing on Impacts of SB 899    On Wednesday morning March 28, CAAA President Brad Chalk will represent our organization in a hearing before the Senate Industrial Relations and Assembly Insurance Committees examining the impacts of SB 899. Of course, our message is that SB 899  has had an appalling impact on injured worker medical […]

By Greg Jones, Western Bureau Chief Insurer expense data released by the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau this week show that spending on vocational rehabilitation has dwindled to one-twelfth of the amount that was spent before 2004 reforms. Advocates who have been pushing for five years to pass legislation to boost supplemental job displacement benefits […]

By Greg Jones, Western Bureau ChiefCalifornia Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday appointed applicants’ attorney Marguerite Sweeney of Redding as a commissioner on the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board. Despite the appointment, the Appeals Board still has two vacancies. Brown did not reappoint commissioner and former chairman Joseph Miller, who was named to the board by former […]

DWC Beefs Up Staff, Targets Bad Actors Share: The California Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) and the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) are improving cooperation while beefing up staff to better serve employers, injured workers and other members of the workers’ comp community, says Division of Workers’ Compensation administrative director Rosa Moran. She also notes […]

http://www.propertycasualty360.com/2012/01/13/opioid-use-a-growing-epidemic-in-workers-comp

http://caaa.org/cs/blogs/cnmediaupdate/pages/media-updates.aspx

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/400684/october-25-2011/susan-saladoff?xrs=share_copy

By Greg Jones, Western Bureau ChiefThe head of the California Department of Industrial Relations says compliance with workers’ compensation insurance requirements is one of the best tools for driving the so-called underground economy out of California, and she plans to step up efforts to catch violators next year. Christine Baker, who was appointed just last […]

The California Division of Workers’ Compensation on Friday announced that maximum and minimum temporary total disability (TTD) benefit payments will increase in 2012 because of the increase in the state’s average weekly wage. Maximum weekly TTD benefits will for the first time exceed $1,000, increasing to $1,010.50 from $986.69. Minimum TTD benefits will increase to […]

10/13/2011 No man’s life, liberty, or property are safe while the legislature is in session.”  Hon. Gideon J. TuckerIt is the end of another legislative year ending in with the governor’s review, signing or vetoing the work of the California Legislature.  This year there was more smoke than fire in the final analysis with the […]

Injured Workers Unhappy as Brown Looks to ‘Broad’ Reform By Greg Jones , Western Bureau Chief California’s 2011 legislative session started with injured workers thinking a newly-elected Democratic governor would restore benefits slashed by the previous Republican administration. For business, there was concern the hard-fought reforms of the early 2000s would be gutted. Gov. Jerry […]

California Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday vetoed four workers’ compensation bills backed by labor, stating in two of his veto messages that he wants to see broad workers’ compensation reform instead of “piecemeal changes” that will increase employer costs.But the governor did find some workers’ comp legislation he could support: Brown signed Assembly Bill 378 […]

California State Compensation Insurance Fund intends to eliminate 1,500 to 1,800 positions — or about 25% of its workforce — by the middle of next year, the carrier announced today. Log on to workcompcentral.com to read a breaking news alert. Full coverage on Friday. bartman@sbcglobal.net

Reeducation Voucher Delivery Resurfaces in Assembly By Greg Jones, reporter California injured worker advocates are trying again to expedite the delivery of vouchers intended to offset the costs of retraining claimants unable to return to their usual work following a workplace accident, saying the current system frustrates workers and prevents them from taking full advantage of rehabilitation […]

Hoch’s Appointment Brings Experience and Controversy to 3rd DCA By John P. Kamin, Legal Editor Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s appointment of Andrea Hoch to the 3rd District Court of Appeal drew a mixed reaction from the applicants’ bar: She is considered an industrious attorney with an impressive resume, but she is also the lawyer who implemented […]

SACRAMENTO, CA – The California Applicants’ Attorneys Association (CAAA), whose members represent Californians injured on the job, today released its analysis of six years of experience under Governor Schwarzenegger’s SB 899, saying the law “has failed Californians injured on the job,” in the words of CAAA President, Barry Hinden. “Gov. Schwarzenegger has called his workers’ […]

By Sam Gold A California Injured Worker I’m an injured worker and I’m writing this article not because I love attorneys, but because “You Have A Right To Know!” and no one else seems to want to tell you the truth! Workers’ Compensation around this country is not operating on a level playing field and […]