Chapter 4.5. Division of Workers' Compensation
Subchapter 1.5. Injuries on or After January 1, 1990
ARTICLE 6.5. RETURN TO WORK

§ 10117. Offer of Work; Adjustment of Permanent Disability Payments.

(a) This section shall apply to all injuries occurring between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2012, inclusive and to the following employers:

(1) Insured employers who employed 50 or more employees at the time of the most recent policy inception or renewal date for the insurance policy that was in effect at the time of the employee's injury;

(2) Self-insured employers who employed 50 or more employees at the time of the most recent filing by the employer of the Self-Insurer's Annual Report that was in effect at the time of the employee's injury; and

(3) Legally uninsured employers who employed 50 or more employees at the time of injury.

(b) Within 60 calendar days from the date that the condition of an injured employee with permanent partial disability becomes permanent and stationary:

(1) If an employer does not serve the employee with a notice of offer of regular work, modified work or alternative work for a period of at least 12 months, each payment of permanent partial disability remaining to be paid to the employee from the date of the end of the 60 day period shall be paid in accordance with Labor Code section 4658(d)(1) and increased by 15 percent.

(2) If an employer serves the employee with a notice of offer of regular work, modified work or alternative work for a period of at least 12 months, and in accordance with the requirements set forth in paragraphs (3) and (4), each payment of permanent partial disability remaining to be paid from the date the offer was served on the employee shall be paid in accordance with Labor Code section 4658(d)(1) and decreased by 15 percent, regardless of whether the employee accepts or rejects the offer.

(3) The employer shall use form DWC-AD 10133.53 (Section 10133.53) to offer modified or alternative work, or form DWC-AD 10118 (Section 10118) to offer regular work. The claims administrator may serve the offer of work on behalf of the employer.

(4) The regular, alternative, or modified work that is offered by the employer pursuant to paragraph (2) shall be located within a reasonable commuting distance of the employee's residence at the time of the injury, unless the employee waives this condition. This condition shall be deemed to be waived if the employee accepts the regular, modified, or alternative work, and does not object to the location within 20 calendar days of being informed of the right to object. The condition shall be conclusively deemed to be satisfied if the offered work is at the same location and the same shift as the employment at the time of injury.

(c) If the claims administrator relies upon a permanent and stationary date contained in a medical report prepared by the employee's treating physician, QME, or AME, but there is subsequently a dispute as to an employee's permanent and stationary status, and there has been a notice of offer of work served on the employee in accordance with subdivision (b), the claims administrator may withhold 15% from each payment of permanent partial disability remaining to be paid from the date the notice of offer was served on the employee until there has been a final judicial determination of the date that the employee is permanent and stationary pursuant to Labor Code section 4062.

(1) Where there is a final judicial determination that the employee is permanent and stationary on a date later than the date relied on by the employer in making its offer of work, the employee shall be reimbursed any amount withheld up to the date a new notice of offer of work is served on the employee pursuant to subdivision (b).

(2) Where there is a final judicial determination that the employee is not permanent and stationary, the employee shall be reimbursed any amount withheld up to the date of the determination.

(3) The claims administrator is not required to reimburse permanent partial disability benefit payments that have been withheld pursuant to this subdivision during any period for which the employee is entitled to temporary disability benefit payments.

(d) If the employee's regular work, modified work, or alternative work that has been offered by the employer pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) and has been accepted by the employee, is terminated prior to the end of the period for which permanent partial disability benefits are due, the amount of each remaining permanent partial disability payment from the date of the termination shall be paid in accordance with Labor Code section 4658 (d) (1), as though no decrease in payments had been imposed, and increased by 15 percent. An employee who voluntarily terminates his or her regular work, modified work, or alternative work shall not be eligible for the 15 percent increase in permanent partial disability payments pursuant to this subdivision.

(e) Nothing in this section shall prevent the parties from settling or agreeing to commute the permanent disability benefits to which an employee may be entitled. However, if the permanent disability benefits are commuted by a workers' compensation administrative law judge or the appeals board pursuant to Labor Code section 5100, the commuted sum shall account for any adjustment that would have been required by this section if payment had been made pursuant to Labor Code section 4658.

(f) If the employer offers regular, modified, or alternative seasonal work to the employee, the offer shall meet the following requirements:

(1) the employee was hired for seasonal work prior to injury;

(2) the offer of regular, modified or alternative seasonal work is of reasonably similar hours and working conditions to the employee's previous employment, and the one year requirement may be satisfied by cumulative periods of seasonal work;

(3) the work must commence within 12 months of the date of the offer; and

(4) The offer meets the conditions set forth in this section.

Note: Authority cited: Sections 133 and 5307.3, Labor Code. Reference: Section 4658, Labor Code; Del Taco v. WCAB (2000) 79 Cal.App.4th 1437; Anzelde v. WCAB (1996) 61 Cal. Comp. Cases 1458 (writ denied); and Henry v. WCAB (1998) 68 Cal.App.4th 981.

HISTORY

1. New article 6.5 (sections 10117-10120) and renumbering of former section 10002 to new section 10117, including amendment of section, filed 11-17-2008; operative 11-17-2008 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4 (Register 2008, No. 47).

2. Amendment of subsection (a) and amendment of Note filed 12-20-2012 as an emergency; operative 1-1-2013 pursuant to Government Code section 11346.1(d) (Register 2012, No. 51). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 7-1-2013 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.

3. Amendment of subsection (a) and amendment of Note refiled 6-26-2013 as an emergency; operative 7-1-2013 pursuant to Government Code section 11346.1(d) (Register 2013, No. 26). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 9-30-2013 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.

4. Certificate of Compliance as to 7-1-2013 order, including amendment of subsection (a), repealer of subsection (f) and subsection relettering, transmitted to OAL 9-27-2013 and filed 11-8-2013; amendments operative 1-1-2014 (Register 2013, No. 45).