FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
IR #2005-39
September 20, 2005

CONTACT:
Susan Gard
(510) 286-7049

Media Advisory
State Division of Workers' Compensation holds first Spanish-language workshop for injured workers

Event
The California Division of Workers' Compensation (DWC) will conduct its first Spanish-language workshop for injured workers. At this free, one-hour workshop injured workers will learn about their right to medical treatment, disability payments, returning to work after an injury and resolving a disagreement over a claim. The workshop consists of a structured presentation followed by a question and answer session and is presented by the DWC Information and Assistance Unit.

Date & time
Wednesday, Sep. 21, 2005
6 - 7 a.m.

Location
Employment Development Department office
301 Heber Avenue @ 3rd Street
Calexico, CA

Special information

• News media organizations are invited to attend. Spanish-speaking workers' compensation representatives will be available for interviews
  
• Injured workers can call 1-800-736-7401 and press 2 to get workshop and other workers' compensation information
  
• Flyers for the workshop can be downloaded in English and Spanish from www.dir.ca.gov/dwc. Click on the link that says, "Injured on the job? Need to know your rights?" at the top of the page
  
• Workshop posters are also available from the Division of Workers' Compensation by calling 510.286.7076.

Background information
While English-language workshops are held monthly at 23 local DWC offices, the Calexico workshop is the first in a series of quarterly Spanish-language workshops that will be held in various locations around the state. Spanish-language workshop locations and times will be chosen based on what's convenient for workers in that area.

Calexico was selected to host the first Spanish-language workshop because thousands of monolingual Spanish-speaking farm workers pass through the city every day. The Calexico Employment Development Department works closely with community partners and maintains a trusted presence. That trust provides a safe environment in which to share information about workers' compensation rights with those working in one of the states' most hazardous industries.

Conducting workshops for injured workers in Spanish is one of the DWC's first steps in creating greater access to information about workers' compensation for all California's wage earners.