What You Need to Know About Vocational Rehabilitation Benefits in California
A serious workplace injury can have a devastating impact on your health—and, in turn, your career. Injured workers may be unable to return to their current line of work, which piles anxiety on top of an already uncertain time. In California, the vocational rehabilitation system has been overhauled to provide new opportunities to injured workers looking for a new line of work. If you’ve been injured at work and need help moving into a new line of work, a California vocational voucher attorney is your next call.
At Moga Law Firm, we know how an unexpected injury can shatter the career goals you’ve had for years. Attorney Scot Thomas Moga has been more than 25 years advocating for California’s workers, working within the state’s pro-worker legal system to ensure that employees get the benefits they are entitled to. Call our vocational voucher law firm at 909-931-2444 to set up a consultation now.
What is Vocational Rehabilitation in California Today?
The state of California offers vocational rehabilitation benefits through the Department of Industrial Relations. These benefits are known as supplemental job displacement benefits. Essentially, this benefit provides training to injured workers who can no longer work in their chosen career path as a result of their workplace injury.
Qualified recipients get a voucher that they can use to pursue educational retraining or skill enhancement at an accredited or state-approved school. Your voucher comes from your claims administrator.
Note that this benefit does not necessarily mean that your workers’ compensation benefits end. You may qualify for ongoing payments from the Return to Work Supplement Program, which you should discuss with your vocational voucher lawyer.
Who Qualifies For These Benefits?
To qualify for supplemental job displacement benefits, you must:
- Have been injured on or after January 1, 2004
- Have been permanently and partially disabled due to that injury
- Not have been offered other work by your employer
If you’ve been offered other ongoing work by your employer, you generally do not qualify for this benefit—even if the work isn’t work you enjoy or would otherwise choose. As long as the employer makes an offer of regular, modified, or alternative work within 60 days of your Physician’s Return-to-Work and Voucher Report, you may not qualify for the voucher program. The work must last at least 12 months, the income must be at least 85% of what you earned before, and the job must be within reasonable commuting distance. If you think you were wrongfully denied a voucher, it is time to talk to a vocational voucher lawyer in California.
Understanding the Supplemental Job Displacement Benefit Voucher
After you get your voucher from the claims administrator, you can look for a qualified training provider to help you find a program that interests you. Programs are listed on CalJOBS.
For injuries on or after January 1, 2013, the voucher amount is $6,000, regardless of the level of permanent partial disability. Vouchers for injuries before that time range in value depending on the severity of the disability. In addition to paying actual training fees, the voucher can be used to pay licensing, certification, and testing fees. You can also pay for tools required for a training course, computer equipment, and up to $500 in miscellaneous expenses.
It’s important to use your voucher in a timely manner. Vouchers issued on or after January 1, 2013, expire two years after being issued or five years from the date of injury, whichever date comes later.
Additional Benefits That May Be Available to You
Certain applicants for the voucher program may also qualify for the Return-to-Work Supplement Program managed by the Department of Industrial Relations. You complete an online application, and the DIR determines whether or not you are entitled to a supplemental payment of $5,000. Those who qualify receive their payment within 25 days of the eligibility decision. If you disagree with their denial, you have 20 days to appeal their decision—this is one area where a vocational voucher lawyer can be helpful.
Contact an Inland Empire Vocational Voucher Attorney
At our vocational voucher law firm, we’re committed to helping California employees get back to work. Give us a call at 909-931-2444 or send us a message online to discuss your legal options.
Scot Thomas Moga, a dedicated attorney in San Bernardino & Riverside Counties who represents clients in the many types of personal injury, workers’ compensation and estate planning cases.
