Title LAB, California Lab. Code

(a) Workers’ compensation administrative law judges employed by the administrative director shall be taken from an eligible list of attorneys licensed to practice law in this state, who have the qualifications prescribed by the State Personnel Board. In establishing eligible list…

(a) All workers’ compensation administrative law judges employed by the administrative director shall subscribe to the Code of Judicial Ethics adopted by the Supreme Court pursuant to subdivision (m) of Section 18 of Article VI of the California Constitution for the conduct of ju…

The appeals board may, by rule or regulation, establish procedures whereby attorneys who are either certified specialists in workers’ compensation by the California State Bar, or are eligible for this certification, may be appointed by the presiding workers’ compensation judge of…

(a) In administering and enforcing this division and Division 4 (commencing with Section 3200), the division shall protect the interests of injured workers who are entitled to the timely provision of compensation. (b) Forms and notices required to be given to employees by the div…

The administrative director shall cause to be printed and furnished free of charge to any person blank forms that may facilitate or promote the efficient performance of the duties of the Division of Workers’ Compensation. (Amended by Stats. 1994, Ch. 146, Sec. 139. Effective Janu…

The Division of Workers’ Compensation, including the administrative director and the appeals board, shall keep minutes of all their proceedings and other books or records requisite for proper and efficient administration. All records shall be kept in their respective offices. (Am…

The administrative director may do all of the following: (a) Charge and collect fees for copies of papers and records, for certified copies of official documents and orders or of the evidence taken or proceedings had, for transcripts of testimony, and for inspection of case files…

(a) The administrative director, with input from the Commission on Health and Safety and Workers’ Compensation, shall issue a report to the Legislature, on or before January 1, 2023, comparing potential payment alternatives for providers to the official medical fee schedule, incl…

The appeals board may accept appointment as deputy commissioner under, or any delegation of authority to enforce, the United States Longshoremen’s and Harbor Worker’s Compensation Act. The appeals board may enter into arrangements with the United States, subject to the approval o…

(a) To make certain that injured workers, and their dependents in the event of their death, receive promptly and accurately the full measure of compensation to which they are entitled, the administrative director shall audit insurers, self-insured employers, and third-party admin…

(a) The administrative director may assess an administrative penalty against an insurer, self-insured employer, or third-party administrator for any of the following: (1) Failure to comply with the notice of assessment issued pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 129 within 15 d…

The appeals board and each of its members, its secretary, assistant secretaries, and workers’ compensation judges, may administer oaths, certify to all official acts, and issue subpoenas for the attendance of witnesses and the production of papers, books, accounts, documents and …

Each witness who appears by order of the appeals board or any of its members, or a workers’ compensation judge, shall receive, if demanded, for his or her attendance the same fees and mileage allowed by law to a witness in civil cases, paid by the party at whose request the witne…

The superior court in and for the county in which any proceeding is held by the appeals board or a workers’ compensation judge may compel the attendance of witnesses, the giving of testimony and the production of papers, including books, accounts, and documents, as required by an…

It is the declared policy of this state that there should not be discrimination against workers who are injured in the course and scope of their employment. (1) Any employer who discharges, or threatens to discharge, or in any manner discriminates against any employee because he …

The Division of Workers’ Compensation, including the administrative director and the appeals board, shall have power and jurisdiction to do all things necessary or convenient in the exercise of any power or jurisdiction conferred upon it under this code. (Amended by Stats. 2011, …

The appeals board or any member thereof may issue writs or summons, warrants of attachment, warrants of commitment and all necessary process in proceedings for contempt, in like manner and to the same extent as courts of record. The process issued by the appeals board or any memb…

In accordance with rules of practice and procedure that it may adopt, the appeals board may, with the approval of the Secretary of State, destroy or otherwise dispose of any file kept by it in connection with any proceeding under Division 4 (commencing with Section 3200) or Divis…

The administrative director may appoint a deputy to act when he or she is absent from the state due to official business, vacation, or illness. (Amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 559, Sec. 8. (AB 1426) Effective October 7, 2011.)

The administrative director shall be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate and shall hold office at the pleasure of the Governor. (Amended by Stats. 2026, Ch. 83, Sec. 4. (SB 171) Effective July 13, 2026.)

(a) The headquarters of the Division of Workers’ Compensation shall be based at and operated from a centrally located city. The administrative director shall have an office in that city with suitable rooms, necessary office furniture, stationery, and supplies, and may rent quarte…

The administrative director shall, with respect to all injuries, prescribe, pursuant to Section 5402, reasonable rules and regulations requiring the employer to serve notice on the injured employee that he may be entitled to benefits under this division. (Added by Stats. 1975, Ch…

(a) For the purpose of this section, “claims administrator” means a self-administered workers’ compensation insurer; or a self-administered self-insured employer; or a self-administered legally uninsured employer; or a self-administered joint powers authority; or a third-party cl…

The Division of Workers’ Compensation shall cooperate in the enforcement of child support obligations. At the request of the Department of Child Support Services, the administrative director shall assist in providing to the State Department of Child Support Services information c…

(a) The administrative director, in consultation with the Insurance Commissioner and the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau, shall develop a cost-efficient workers’ compensation information system, which shall be administered by the division. The administrative directo…

(a) Except as expressly permitted in subdivision (b), a person or public or private entity not a party to a claim for workers’ compensation benefits shall not obtain individually identifiable information obtained or maintained by the division regarding that claim. For purposes of…

(a) On or before January 1, 2024, and annually thereafter, the administrative director shall publish on the division’s internet website provider utilization data, as reported to the Division of Workers’ Compensation, for physicians who treated 10 or more injured workers during th…

(a) The administrative director shall appoint qualified medical evaluators in each of the respective specialties as required for the evaluation of medical-legal issues. The appointments shall be for two-year terms. (b) The administrative director shall appoint or reappoint as a q…

(a) (1) The administrative director shall promptly suspend, pursuant to subdivision (b), any physician, practitioner, or provider from participating in the workers’ compensation system as a physician, practitioner, or provider if the individual or entity meets any of the followin…

(a) Notwithstanding any other law, to the extent those services are paid pursuant to Division 4 (commencing with Section 3200), it is unlawful for a physician to refer a person for clinical laboratory, diagnostic nuclear medicine, radiation oncology, physical therapy, physical re…

The prohibition of Section 139.3 shall not apply to or restrict any of the following: (a) A physician may refer a patient for a good or service otherwise prohibited by subdivision (a) of Section 139.3 if the physician’s regular practice is where there is no alternative provider o…

(a) For the purpose of this section, the following definitions apply: (1) “Financial interest in another entity” means, subject to subdivision (h), either of the following: (A) Any type of ownership, interest, debt, loan, lease, compensation, remuneration, discount, rebate, refun…

(a) The administrative director may review advertising copy to ensure compliance with Section 651 of the Business and Professions Code and may require qualified medical evaluators to maintain a file of all advertising copy for a period of 90 days from the date of its use. Any fil…

(a) No person or entity shall advertise, print, display, publish, distribute, or broadcast, or cause or permit to be advertised, printed, displayed, published, distributed, or broadcast in any manner, any statement concerning services or benefits to be provided to an injured work…

(a) In promulgating regulations pursuant to Sections 139.4 and 139.43, the administrative director shall take particular care to preclude any advertisements with respect to industrial injuries or illnesses that are false or mislead the public with respect to workers’ compensation…

The Director of Industrial Relations shall establish and maintain a program to encourage, facilitate, and educate employers to provide early and sustained return to work after occupational injury or illness. The program shall do both of the following: (a) Develop educational mate…

(a) There is in the department a return-to-work program administered by the director, funded by one hundred twenty million dollars ($120,000,000) annually derived from non-General Funds of the Workers’ Compensation Administration Revolving Fund, for the purpose of making suppleme…

(a) (1) The administrative director shall contract with one or more independent medical review organizations and one or more independent bill review organizations to conduct reviews pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 4600) of Chapter 2 of Part 2 of Division 4. The ind…

(a) The administrative director shall establish and effect within the Division of Workers’ Compensation a continuing program to provide information and assistance concerning the rights, benefits, and obligations of the workers’ compensation law to employees and employers subject …

(a) (1) No person shall represent or provide specified services to any artist who is a minor, under 18 years of age, without first submitting an application to the Labor Commissioner for a Child Performer Services Permit and receiving that permit. (2) The Labor Commissioner shall…

A person who willfully violates any provision of this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor. Each violation is punishable by a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars ($10,000), by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year, or by both that fine and imprisonment. (Adde…

The Attorney General, any district attorney, or any city attorney may institute an action for a violation of this chapter, including an action to restrain and enjoin a violation. (Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 634, Sec. 1. (AB 1660) Effective January 1, 2013.)

A person who is injured as a result of any violation of this chapter committed by a person required to obtain a permit pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 1706 may bring an action to recover damages or to restrain and enjoin a violation, or both. The amount of…

The provisions of this chapter are not exclusive and do not relieve any person subject to this chapter from the duty to comply with all other laws. (Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 634, Sec. 1. (AB 1660) Effective January 1, 2013.)

The remedies provided in this chapter are not exclusive and are in addition to any other remedies or procedures provided in any other law. (Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 634, Sec. 1. (AB 1660) Effective January 1, 2013.)

The commissioner shall study and report to the Legislature, not later than December 31, 2008, on the status of labor law violations and enforcement in the car washing and polishing industry. (Added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 656, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2007.)