FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, May 9, 2008
INJURED WORKERS, ADVOCATES:
GOVERNOR’S DISABILITY BENEFITS RESTORATION IS “RIDICULOUSLY SMALL”
California’s compensation would remain among lowest;
Decreases compensation to older workers
Sacramento, CA - Injured workers and their advocates today said the governor’s proposal to restore a small percentage of the permanent disability compensation he cut by 50% to 70% is wholly inadequate in view of the Administration’s own studies. The injured workers’ advocates called instead for passage of SB 1717, that seeks to restore half of the compensation taken from permanently disabled workers. The advocates released figures showing that even with the governor’s proposed increase, California would remain well below neighboring states, and comparable US states, in compensating permanently disabled workers. “This proposal does not fix the harm done to injured workers. California workers permanently disabled on the job would still receive compensation that is among the lowest in the nation under the governor’s proposal. This schedule has eliminated the age adjustment for workers between the ages of 41 to 51, further reducing their ‘average rating.’ The proposal does not come close to making up the reductions that the administration’s own studies found,” said Sue Borg, president of the California Applicants’ Attorneys Association (CAAA), whose members represent hundreds of thousands of workers injured on the job each year. “Injured workers have suffered 50 to 70 percent cuts to benefits that were never intended by the legislature. Even the administration’s own studies showed a decrease in the average rating of up to 41%. To give some injured workers a meager increase while decreasing compensation to older workers is nearly meaningless.”
Multiple independent studies, including studies conducted last year by the Division of Workers Compensation’s Administrative Director, have documented 50% to 70% cuts in compensation for permanent disabilities.
The governor has vetoed two bills by Senator Don Perata that would have doubled permanent disability compensation, promising instead a correction via the regulatory process. With today’s meager proposed increase, the injured workers of this state and their advocates will look once again to the Legislature for much needed help.
“It’s insulting to cut disability compensation by 50% to 70% and then give only some injured workers back a dime or so on the dollar,” said Jesse Ceniceros, president of VotersInjuredatWork.org, an advocacy group of and for injured workers. “Permanently disabled workers rely on this compensation for their survival and that of their families. This inadequate increase does not address the unfairness of the governor’s permanent disability benefits schedule.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
How much is Your Eye Worth in California?
Governor’s Permanent Disability Compensation is Blind to Worker’s Loss
Californians injured on the job receive less in compensation than those injured in all other states. Governor Schwarzenegger reduced compensation for workers who live the rest of their lives with disabilities caused by work-related injuries by more than 50%. Multiple independent studies have confirmed this drastic reduction. See chart
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, May 1, 2008
What's a Toe Worth?
SACRAMENTO BEE
Capitol Alert
By Dan Walters
California By the Numbers
April 29, 2008
If a California worker loses a big toe – or at least its use – in an on-the-job accident, it’s worth $3,960 in workers’ compensation benefits, but $61,874 if the worker is in Oregon, according to a state-by-state compilation of payments for jobrelated maladies by a coalition attempting to raise California benefits.
The coalition of labor groups and attorneys who specialize in workers’ comp cases is attempting to modify an overhaul of the multi-billion-dollar system that was pushed through the Legislature by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2004 and resulted in new administrative rules tightening up eligibility for benefits. ... more
Chart comparing benefits in California to those in other states
Denial of Care - http://www.denialofcare.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Four Years After Governor’s Compensation Cuts:
INJURED WORKERS, ADVOCATES TO CALL ON
GOVERNOR TO RESTORE DISABILITY BENEFITS
California’s compensation among lowest
Sacramento, CA - Injured workers and their advocates held a news conference Wednesday calling upon the governor to restore compensation to permanently
disabled workers. The injured workers’ advocates and Senate President pro
tempore Don Perata presented his new measure, SB 1717, that seeks to restore
compensation to permanently disabled workers to the Senate Labor & Industrial
Relations Committee. The advocates released figures showing that California is
well below neighboring states, and comparable US states, in compensating
permanently disabled workers. U.S. Chamber of Commerce data shows that
weekly benefits for permanently disabled workers in California are the 4th lowest in
the nation. The business organization’s data show, for example, that a California
worker who loses an ear at work would receive just $5,280 while the same injury
in Arizona would be compensated with $26,400, in Oregon $100,310 and in
Washington $12,685. “California workers permanently disabled on the job receive
compensation that is among the lowest the nation,” said Sue Borg, president of the
California Applicants’ Attorneys Association (CAAA), whose members represent
hundreds of thousands of workers injured on the job each year. “Injured workers
have suffered 50 to 70 percent cuts to benefits that were never intended by the
legislature.” ...more
Permanent Disability Benefits Neighbor States
Insurers Kept More in Profits Than Was Paid in Benefits to Injured Workers
State Senate alters limits on workers' comp
ASSOCIATED PRESS
March 11, 2008
SACRAMENTO – The state Senate approved legislation yesterday that would
prohibit doctors from considering age, race or genetic factors in determining the
size of workers' compensation benefits for employees who suffer job-related
disabilities.
The bill by Sen. Carole Migden, D-San Francisco, would alter a key provision of
the sweeping workers' compensation changes promoted by Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger and employers in 2004....more
Senate Panel Approves Migden Bill to Ban Bias in Workers
Compensation Disability Benefits
Wednesday, February 27
SACRAMENTO - The Senate Labor and Industrial Relations Committee voted
today to approve Sen. Carole Migden’s SB 1115 to ban race, gender and age
discrimination in awarding disability compensation to workers injured on the job.
Sen. Migden’s legislation incorporates current civil rights protections into the
state’s workers compensation laws. It comes in the wake of a flood of medical
reports written by physicians who say they are compelled by SB 899 to apportion
permanent disability to factors such as age, race, and ethnicity.... more
SACRAMENTO - Sen. Carole Migden, VotersInjuredatWork.org and the
California Applicants Attorneys Association (CAAA) today unveiled legislation to
ban bias in awarding workers compensation disability benefits. SB 1115 bans
discrimination in determining disability compensation to workers injured on the
job. Currently, insurers and doctors are reducing permanent disability
compensation based on age, race and gender. Discrimination has reduced
compensation to disabled workers by millions of dollars....more
