FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 24, 2003

CONTACT:
Christine Baker
415-703-4220


CHSWC Issues Spanish Version of Workers' Compensation Guide


SAN FRANCISCO -- The California Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation (CHSWC) has issued a Spanish version of its comprehensive guide on workers' compensation for injured workers. Like the English version, this guide was developed for use by workers, employers, the workers' compensation community, and the public.

The "Workers' Compensation in California: A Guidebook for Injured Workers" was developed by the Labor Occupational Health Program (LOHP) at the University of California under contract with CHSWC. Both the Spanish and English versions of the guide are accessible at http://www.dir.ca.gov/CHSWC/allreports.html.

CHSWC is charged with overseeing the health and safety and workers' compensation systems in California and with recommending administrative or legislative modifications to improve their operation. The Commission was established to conduct a continuing examination of the workers' compensation system and of the state's activities to prevent industrial injuries and occupational diseases and to examine those programs in other states.

Since its inception in 1994, CHSWC has held meetings, conducted fact-finding hearings, and directed several studies to determine how these crucial programs are serving California employees and employers. These studies, conducted by independent research organizations under contract with CHSWC, and other activities were aided by the involvement of state agency personnel and interested members of the workers' compensation community. This cooperative public-private partnership continues to identify, describe, measure and propose solutions to problems and difficulties in the current health and safety and workers' compensation systems.

The comprehensive guide, CHSWC's Annual Reports, and other publications are available at CHSWC's home page at www.dir.ca.gov/chswc. A copy of those reports may be obtained at no charge by writing to the Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation, 455 Golden Gate Avenue, 10th Floor, San Francisco, California 94102, by calling (415) 703-4220, by faxing a request to (415) 703-4234, or by emailing chswc@dir.ca.gov.

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