Sexual Harassment or Workers’ Comp?

Attorneys for Los Angeles County are asking a state court judge to throw out a sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit filed by a female Sheriff’s Department sergeant. The county maintains that the Workers’ Compensation Act’s exclusivity provision covers the claims. “Any and all claims by plaintiff for damages, including, but not limited to, claims for … Read More »

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Workers’ Comp Rates Bottoming Out?

Workers’ comp rates in California are at 50-year lows after nine straight years of cuts to the state’s advisory pure premium rates. Concurrently, carriers’ average charged rates have declined and are down to $1.65 per $100 of payroll compared to $3.13 when rates started declining in 2015. Many industry insiders, however, see rates bottoming out. … Read More »

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California’s Return-To-Work Fund Exhausted?

Is California’s special fund that provides an extra $5,000 in compensation to qualified injured employees running out of money? The Return-To-Work Supplement Program came within 435 injured workers of spending all of its $120 million allotment during the last fiscal year. Officials say applications are running higher this year. The question now is what will … Read More »

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Public Agencies Workers’ Comp Claims Statistics

Taxpayers support California’s cities, counties, special districts, and other public agencies that self-insure their workers’ compensation responsibilities. The taxpayers caught a break last year as the number of reported workers’ compensation claims dropped sharply overall. However, total future costs for all workers’ comp claims from all years are still rising to nearly $9.8 billion. After … Read More »

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New Workers’ Comp Laws For 2024

The 2023 Legislative cycle was relatively quiet for the workers’ comp community overall, but the Legislature passed, and Gov. Gavin Newsom signed several measures that affect employers and the workers’ comp system for 2024. The laws include new required disclosures and make changes to some types of workers’ comp benefits. Construction industry risks will have … Read More »

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Workers’ Comp Exclusivity Blocks Firefighter’s Lawsuit

A San Francisco firefighter sustained injuries when a city bus drove through an active emergency scene. The injured firefighter filed a negligence lawsuit against the City and the bus driver. The First District Court of Appeal says workers’ compensation is his only remedy. The decision in Vann v. City and County of San Francisco stems … Read More »

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Employee’s Bike Accident Covered By Workers’ Comp

A University of California at Irvine employee was injured in a bicycle accident on her way home from work. Employee Rose Jones sustained injuries when she crashed her bike roughly 10 seconds into her ride home. The crash happened when she swerved to avoid an open trench on the bike path. The accident occurred on … Read More »

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Commercial Traveler Rule Blocks Civil Lawsuit

The parents of a worker killed while traveling for work cannot sue her employer for wrongful death. The Third District Court of Appeal held that the Workers’ Compensation Act’s exclusivity provision covers the claim under the commercial traveler rule. While it does not make new law, the details provide nonlawyers insight into it. The case … Read More »

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