Managing Employee Injuries and Disability and Occupational Safety

T ABLE OF C ONTENTS

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S ECTION 1 Introduction ...............................................................................................................................................................8 A. Historical Background.....................................................................................................................................8 1. Constitutional Authorization ....................................................................................................................9 2. Legislative History ...................................................................................................................................9 B. California Law Summarized ...........................................................................................................................9 1. Administration of California Plan ..........................................................................................................10 2. Department of Industrial Relations ........................................................................................................10 3. Administrative Director..........................................................................................................................10 4. Qualified Medical Evaluators.................................................................................................................10 5. Information and Assistance Bureau .......................................................................................................11 6. Information and Assistance Officer .......................................................................................................11 7. Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board ................................................................................................11 8. Workers’ Compensation Judges.............................................................................................................12 S ECTION 2 Covered Employment ..................................................................................................................................................12 A. Employer .......................................................................................................................................................12 B. Employee.......................................................................................................................................................13 1. Defined...................................................................................................................................................13 2. Exclusions ..............................................................................................................................................14 3. Special Categories of Persons Who May Be “Employees” of Public Agencies.....................................15 4. Persons Specifically Included as “Employees” ......................................................................................16 C. Special Circumstances...................................................................................................................................16 1. Pre-employment Tryout .........................................................................................................................16 2. Illegal Activities .....................................................................................................................................17 3. Independent Contractor ..........................................................................................................................17 4. Presumption of Employment..................................................................................................................17 S ECTION 3 What Is an Industrial Injury? .......................................................................................................................................18 A. Defined ..........................................................................................................................................................18 B. Arising out of Employment ...........................................................................................................................18 1. Unexplained Accidents ..........................................................................................................................18 2. Pre-Existing Conditions .........................................................................................................................19 3. Horseplay ...............................................................................................................................................19 C. Course of Employment..................................................................................................................................19 1. Going and Coming Rule.........................................................................................................................20 2. Premises Line .........................................................................................................................................20 3. Entrance, Exit.........................................................................................................................................20 4. Employer Compensated Travel ..............................................................................................................21 5. Required Transportation.........................................................................................................................21 6. Personal Activities .................................................................................................................................21 7. Other Special Circumstances of Injury ..................................................................................................23 D. Categories of Injuries ....................................................................................................................................26 1. Specific...................................................................................................................................................26 2. Cumulative .............................................................................................................................................26 E. Types of Injuries............................................................................................................................................27 1. Occupational Disease .............................................................................................................................27 2. Communicable Disease ..........................................................................................................................27 3. Idiopathic Seizure...................................................................................................................................27

Managing Employee Injuries, Disability and Occupational Safety ©2019 (s) Liebert Cassidy Whitmore iv