ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This project was conducted by the Labor Occupational Health Program (LOHP), Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, University of California at Berkeley, under a contract with the Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation. LOHP and the authors wish to thank the Commission for their support for this project. We also thank the following persons who assisted in the project's design and implementation:

Academic Advisors

Leslie I. Boden, Ph.D., Professor, Boston University School of Public Health

Lorraine Midanik, Ph.D., Associate Professor, University of California at Berkeley School of Social Welfare

Ellyn Moscowitz, Esq., Associate Professor of Law, Chapman University School of Law

James C. Robinson, Ph.D., M.P.H., Associate Professor, University of California at Berkeley School of Public Health

Focus Group Consultant

Cherie Pies, Dr.P.H., M.S.W., University of California at Berkeley School of Public Health

Research Assistant

Blanche Grosswald, M.S.W.

Data Processing

Jim Culbeaux, Department of Industrial Relations

Russell Roeckel, Department of Industrial Relations

Recruiting and Administrative Support

Myrna Zialcita, Business Manager

Elizabeth Abello, M.Ed.

George Jimenez

Socorro Castillo

Myra Rose

Isadora Hicks

Donna Iverson

Sonia Zuno

Spanish-Speaking and/or Assistant Moderators

Michele González Arroyo, M.P.H.

Jennifer Sahmel, M.P.H.

Mary Deems, M.P.H.

Marta A. Segura, M.P.H.

Transcribers and Translators

Margo Marcellini, M.A.

Amy Lovekin, M.A.

Editors

Gene Darling

Kay Keppler, M.A.

Estelle Jelinek, Ph.D.

Desk-Top Publishing

Kate Oliver

Staff of the Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation

Christine Baker, Ph.D. Candidate, M.A., Executive Officer

Evonne Jolls

Kirsten Strömberg

LOHP Director

Robin Baker, M.P.H.

Project Participants and Other Contributors

We wish to thank the individuals who participated in the discussion groups and interviews for this project. In addition, we thank the following persons and organizations for their invaluable insights and contributions (please note that these persons and organizations do not necessarily agree with or endorse all of the conclusions or recommendations in this report):

James Ellenberger, AFL-CIO

Joe Enos, UAW Ergonomic Representative

Larkie Gildersleeve, Research and Information Director, Newspaper Guild

Dorsey Hamilton, Director, Compensation Alert, Inc.

Susan Hamilton, Presiding Judge, Claims Adjudication Unit, Division of Workers' Compensation

Injured worker volunteers of Compensation Alert, Inc.

Robert Kutz, Regional Manager, Claims Adjudication Unit, Division of Workers' Compensation

Rick Levy, Legal Director, Texas AFL-CIO

Joan Lichterman, Coordinator, East Bay RSI Support Group

Marc Marcus, Esq.

Keith Markman, Information & Assistance Officer, Division of Workers' Compensation

Landis Martilla, Senior Business Representative, IBEW Local 1245

Michael McClain, Esq., General Counsel, California Workers' Compensation Institute

Linda McKee, Director of Executive Communication, Texas Workers' Compensation Commission

Pete McMillan, Gary Drilling Company and Member of Policy Advisory Committee of Californians for Compensation Reform

Mark Miller, M.S., Research Associate, California Workers' Compensation Institute

William Resneck, Esq.

Maggie Robbins, Health and Safety Representative, SEIU Western Region

Frank Russo, Esq.

Frances Schreiberg, Esq., Kazan, McClain, Edises, Simon & Abrams

Glenn Shor, Ph.D., Division of Workers' Compensation

State Compensation Insurance Fund

Steve Siemers, Esq.

Vicky Smith, Project Help Director, Project Help Program of the Washington State AFL-CIO

Willie Washington, Legislative Advocate and Director of Human Resources, Safety and Health and Workers' Compensation, California Manufacturers Association

Charlotte Waugh, Northern Area Supervisor, Information & Assistance Unit, Division

of Workers' Compensation

Edward Woodward, President, California Workers' Compensation Institute

Bob Wong, Manager, Information & Assistance Unit, Division of Workers' Compensation

Special thanks to the injured workers who participated in the pilot test and focus groups. Their names are not listed to protect their confidentiality.