How Does the Supplemental Job Displacement Benefits Process Works?
Workplace injuries are always a horrible experience. Some people get lucky and don’t get permanent injuries or disabilities. However, not everyone is lucky. Some people get a permanent injury or disability or have a long road to recovery. In such cases, people usually lose their jobs, have zero financial support, and have an uncertain future.
To help such people, California’s workers’ compensation system provides supplemental job displacement benefits (SJDB). It is aimed at helping injured workers land on their fleet. Getting the SJDB voucher can be complicated, and you might need help. A few experts are available to help you.
Read on to know how the supplemental job displacement benefits process works and who can help you handle the process independently.
What Are Supplemental Job Displacement Benefits?
The supplemental job displacement benefit is a $6000 voucher offered as a part of the California workers’ compensation system. This voucher covers job retraining expenses for injured workers who are not able to return to their jobs because they have a permanent work injury.
The Criteria for Supplemental Job Displacement Benefits
A person must meet two key criteria to qualify for Supplemental Job Displacement Benefits. First, a person must have a permanent partial disability due to a work injury. Second, the person’s employer must not have regular, modified, or alternate work for the person because of the permanent disability and resulting medical restrictions.
Modified or alternate work should pay 85% of the prior salary, and the work must be at the pre-injury work location or within a reasonable commuting distance. If not, a person can refuse the work and qualify for an SJDB voucher.
Can I Get Multiple Supplemental Job Displacement Vouchers?
Yes, if a person has multiple injuries leading to different restrictions, they can be eligible for multiple Supplemental Job Displacement vouchers.
What Can a Supplemental Job Displacement Voucher Be Used For?
One can use the Supplemental Job Displacement Voucher to pay for education and vocational training. It also includes the tools one needs for the training. One can spend up to $1000 on computer equipment.
Suppose a person wants to explore a field that needs professional licensure or certification. In that case, the Supplemental Job Displacement Voucher can be used for occupational licensing, certification fees, exam prep, and other associated costs.
In addition to the above, the Supplemental Job Displacement Voucher can also be used for vocational counseling, resume assistance, and job search services. All of these help a person explore a new career option.
The Supplemental Job Displacement Voucher can also cover up to $500 in “miscellaneous expenses” associated with retraining and job search. For instance, travel or supplies.
How Long Does a Supplemental Job Displacement Voucher Last?
Supplemental Job Displacement Voucher is valid until two years from the date of receipt or five years from the date of the original work injury of a person, whichever is later.
The Supplemental Job Displacement Voucher Process
- The Medical Report
The Supplemental Job Displacement Voucher process starts with a medical report. A person’s doctor must fill out a Physician’s Return-to-Work & Voucher Report.
This report verifies that a person has a permanent injury resulting in a disability. It will explain whether a person can return to regular work. If not, the report lists the medical restrictions on a person’s ability to work.
Sometimes, doctors write a narrative report that includes the same information. Either of these reports must be sent to the workers’ compensation insurance company.
- The Possible Offer
In the next step, the insurance company will contact the employer to determine if they can offer regular, modified, or alternative work to the injured employee within the medical restrictions. The employer has 60 days to make a decision. If they can’t make a decision in that time frame, the injured worker must be offered an SJDB voucher within 20 days.
- The Key Decision
If an employer offers regular, alternative, or modified work, the employee must decide whether to accept the offer within 30 days. If the employer doesn’t offer regular work or alternative or modified work that pays at least 85% of the pre-injury salary, then also the injured employee will automatically qualify for an SJDB voucher.
Can I Get Cash for Supplemental Job Displacement Voucher?
A person usually can’t settle for cash instead of a Supplemental Job Displacement Voucher except for special circumstances. For instance, if there is a broader dispute regarding the workers’ compensation claim, like whether the injury was workplace-related or not, then the voucher’s value can be included in a Compromise and Release that settles the entire claim.
Be Active Throughout the Supplemental Job Displacement Voucher Process
As an injured worker, you must be active throughout the Supplemental Job Displacement Voucher Process. You can tell your doctor what you can or cannot do when they note down the medical report’s restrictions. You can also talk to an expert regarding your eligibility for the Supplemental Job Displacement Voucher
Want to Talk to an Expert?
If you need more guidance regarding the Supplemental Job Displacement Voucher Process, then you can trust the Laura M. Wilson & Associates Inc team. We help you return to work more confidently and only after fully recovering from an accident, trauma, crisis, or injury. You can also trust us to explain the Supplemental Job Displacement Voucher Process to you and be with you every step of the way.
In addition to the SJDB Service, we also provide RTWSP Service, Expert Witness, Vocational Evaluation, Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling Services, and Transferable Skills Analysis. All these services will help make the return-to-work process easy and uncomplicated for you.
Our vocational rehabilitation counselors will decide which services are right for you and offer a solution that helps you return to work and retain your job if you want to or pursue a new career path with the help of the Supplemental Job Displacement Voucher. To book a one-on-one session with one of our experts, book an appointment here or call us toll-free at (800) 531-5608.
Reference
0 Comments