Our attorneys have been assisting the Orange County and Southern California communities for over 40 years.
In the state of California, after an employee suffers on-the-job injuries it is up to the discretion of a doctor to determine if the worker requires any work restrictions or accommodations to return to work. The employer must consider these restrictions if the employee returns to work.
In some cases, the employee is unable to return to work. The employee is no longer able to perform the same assigned duties he or she did before the injury. However, not returning to work is often not viable for the individual or the employer – one needs a source of income and the other needs an employee. Instead, job retraining may take place, as established by the California Department of Industrial Relations through a Supplemental Job Displacement Voucher.
A supplemental job displacement voucher is a $6,000 benefit that pays for educational retraining or skill enhancement at state-approved or accredited schools. These benefits are for injured workers who are unable to return to work in the same capacity they did before the injury. This includes if workers unable to return to the regular position they held before, or to a modified or alternative position.
These situations entitle a worker to a supplemental job displacement voucher to train for or find new employment. This applies to all types of workers including police officers and firefighters. This may not apply to undocumented workers, who may not be able to legally perform permanent work due to their immigration status.
It is important that the injured worker submit a workers’ compensation claim in order to be eligible for a supplemental job displacement voucher. This voucher includes medical care, temporary disability, and permanent disability benefits. Injured workers in California may be eligible for other benefits as well, depending on their specific cases. If you or a loved one needs assistance with a workers’ compensation claim, contact us. Our Orange County workers’ compensation lawyers offer free consultations and can help you explore your legal options.
The Supplemental Job Displacement voucher that will pay for any part of job retraining. It is a $6,000 voucher that can pay for the following.
The idea is that the Supplemental Job Displacement voucher will pay for any aspect that may be necessary for job retraining and obtaining a new position.
A supplemental job displacement voucher is a useful part of workers’ compensation. Individuals who are willing to return to work in some way can use these job retraining benefits to prepare themselves for a new career. After receiving a supplemental job displacement voucher, the individual must promptly use the voucher before it expires, either two years from the date of the voucher or five years from the date of the injury. If an individual has more than one workers’ compensation claim, he or she may be eligible for multiple job displacement vouchers.
The process for obtaining a supplemental job displacement voucher is a fairly simple one. This three-step process requires the following steps.
The doctor’s medical opinion must be in the form of medical records that indicate the extent of an employee’s injuries. The worker should give this document to his or her employer. The insurance company also requires documentation of the offer letter for work. An employer must make the offer letter to return to work within 60 days of treating the physical injury. The employee then has 30 days to accept the offer.