If you have an injury or illness resulting from your employment, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits provided to you at your employer’s expense. In the case of a work-related injury or illness, report the incident immediately to your supervisor, who will report the injury to the Injury Referral Hotline at (888) 826-7835. You will be given two forms to complete. One form acknowledges receipt of the paperwork for filing your claim. The other form is an Employee Claim Form that requires you to complete the top portion with information about the kind of injury/illness you have and how it occurred. There is also a state pamphlet outlining your rights under the workers’ compensation system.
If you need medical treatment, you will need to treat with one of the physicians or clinics in the Medical Provider Network. Your supervisor will provide a Medical Service Order for you take to the clinic on your first visit. State law permits you to treat with your primary care physician for your work-related injury or illness, but there are several specific requirements. For example, only your primary care physician can be pre-designated, and this physician must be both a physician and a surgeon under the Business and Professions Codes. This means your physician is licensed to perform minor surgeries such as giving injections, sewing up a laceration, or removing something from your eye. Chiropractors, for example, do not meet these criteria. Additionally, you must submit this request and your primary care physician must accept this pre-designation prior to your injury. For additional information about these requirements, contact your Department Representative.
If your injury or illness qualifies for workers’ compensation benefits, you will receive all medical treatment reasonably necessary to cure or relieve the effects of your work-related injury or illness. Treatment is provided per the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine as the standard of care for industrial injuries or illnesses. Treatment can include physician’s services, hospitalization, physical therapy and/or chiropractic care up to 24 visits, prescriptions, X-rays, laboratory studies, and all other necessary and reasonable care ordered by the physician.
If the designated physician determines that you cannot work because of your work-related injury or illness and the County is unable to provide modified or alternate work through the County’s Return-to-Work Program, you may be eligible for disability benefits in accordance with your MOU-negotiated salary continuation. Once those expire, the Workers’ Compensation Division will pay disability benefits along with your accrued sick leave balances to equal your full pay, in accordance with your MOU. After you have exhausted your leave balances, you will be entitled to disability benefits for Workers’ Compensation until your physician releases you to return to work or determines that you have reached a maximum medical improvement status.
To report suspected fraud or abuse, send an email to WorkComp@rc-hr.com. You may also contact our office by calling (951) 955-3530. To report a new Worker's Compensation claim, use the 24-hour telephone number: (800) 981-4613.