California Revised Posting: Injuries Caused by Work

Significant changes to the California workers’ compensation posting inform workers of their rights and responsibilities before and after a workplace injury.

It’s here: the recent California posting change that is mandatory, unlike the CAL/OSHA posting change that was not mandatory. Effective January 1, 2016, all California workplaces must display the latest version of the California Notice to Employees – Injuries Caused by Work posting.

What Changed on the California Notice to Employees – Injuries Caused by Work Posting?

In addition to minor verbiage changes, the California Division of Workers’ Compensation made substantial changes to the California Injuries Caused by Work notice:

Medical Care

• Medical equipment and travel costs added to list of covered benefits
• Added chiropractic, physical therapy, and occupational therapy to treatments with limited coverage.

Permanent Disability Benefits

• Added the phrase “if you do not recover completely” to payment requirement.

Supplemental Job Displacement Benefit

• Removed “state-approved school” from voucher requirement.
• Removed the 60-day work absence requirement.

Naming Your Own Physician

• Prior to a workplace injury, a worker must identify a physician and obtain that physician’s agreement to treat a workplace injury.

Reporting Injury

• Claims administrator now can authorize treatment in addition to employer.

See Your Primary Treating Physician

• For workers with no predesignated physician, the worker may select a physician within the employer’s medical provider network or health care organization.
• If no such MPN or HCO coverage exists and the worker has no predesignated physician, then the claims administrator can choose the doctor.