Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation

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About Us

The Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation is a joint labor-management body created by the workers' compensation reform legislation of 1993 and charged with examining the health and safety and workers' compensation systems in California and/or recommending administrative or legislative modifications to improve their operation. For more information or to send comments or questions, please e-mail us at chswc@dir.ca.gov.

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. The Commission's activities are funded through penalties assessed by the Division of Workers' Compensation as a result of audits of workers' compensation insurers and claims administrators. CHSWC also administers the Worker Occupational Safety and Health Training and Education Program (WOSHTEP), which sponsors workplace health and safety training programs and distributes educational materials on job safety.

The Commission is dedicated to working with the entire health and safety and workers' compensation community including employees, employers, labor organizations, insurers, attorneys, medical providers, administrators, educators, government agencies, and members of the public to provide a more effective and efficient workers' compensation system in California. The Commission serves as a forum whereby the community may come together, raise issues, identify problems, and work together to develop solutions. This cooperative effort brings together a wide variety of perspectives, knowledge, and concerns about various programs critical to all Californians.

The Commission contracts with independent research organizations for projects and studies designed to evaluate critical areas of key programs. This is done to ensure objectivity, incorporate a balance of viewpoints, and to produce the highest quality analysis and evaluation.

The Commission consists of eight members, four representing employers and four from organized labor. The Governor appoints four Commissioners, and the Speaker of the Assembly and the Senate Rules Committee each appoint two members.

To read about recent news and activities, please visit the What’s New and Meetings pages.


February 2021