Workers' compensation: disability benefits.

Existing law establishes a workers' compensation system, administered by the Administrative Director of the Division of Workers' Compensation, that generally requires employers to secure the payment of workers' compensation, including medical treatment, for injuries incurred by their employees that arise out of, and in the course of, employment. Existing law provides certain methods for determining workers' compensation benefits payable to a worker or his or her dependents for purposes of temporary disability, permanent total disability, permanent partial disability, and in case of death. This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would adjust the amount of permanent partial disability benefits paid to workers in order to ensure that the benefits are fair, adequate, and more favorably aligned when compared with permanent partial disability benefits paid to workers in other states. This bill would provide for increased permanent partial disability benefits for injuries occurring on or after January 1, 2010. Existing law requires the payment of workers' compensation benefits for injuries causing permanent disability to be computed in accordance with a prescribed formula. This bill would revise the formula for computing permanent disability payments for injuries causing permanent disability, that occur on or after January 1, 2010, as specified.