What if I am permanently unable to do the job I was doing when I was injured?
In a perfect world, you would get retraining to do another job. There is no more retraining benefit in California Workers Compensation. Vocational Rehabilitation was a retraining benefit until it got eliminated in 2003.
Now, if you are unable to do your the job you held when injured, you may be entitled to a “coupon” for retraining – a Supplemental Job Displacement Voucher. The coupon is for an amount between $4,000 and $10,000. It may be used at specified educational institutions only. It does not cover living expenses while attending school. The insurance company does not have to give you the voucher until after your case has settled. For assistance with Supplemental Job Displacement vouchers I recommend the Ortega Counseling Center.
Additionally, if your company employs 50 or more people, and you are not offered a job with the old employer, you may get a fifteen percent increase in your permanent disability payments. If you do go back to your old job, your permanent disability payments might be reduced by fifteen percent.
