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The Reformed Californian Workers' Compensation System: Outcomes for Injured Workers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 August 2015

Sandra Bentley
Sandra Bentley*
Affiliation:
The University of Sydney, Australia
*
Rehabilitation Counselling unit, School of Behavioural and Community Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney, Cumberland Campus, PO Box 170 Lidcombe NSW 2141, Australia. Email: S.Bentley@cchs.usyd.edu.au
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Abstract

In a period of legislative reform, New South Wales' workers compensation stakeholders can learn at least broad lessons by making comparisons with the experience of other countries in post reform review. This article considers the overall impact of the 1993 reforms on the Californian workers' compensation system, with focus on reforms and outcomes in the Vocational Rehabilitation sector. It was found post reform that the number of claims and paid benefits have decreased substantially, and total premiums paid and Vocational Rehabilitation expenditures are down dramatically. However, the changes are blamed for an increase in legal complexity, as return-to work outcomes and post-injury earnings for injured workers appear to have worsened. Additionally benefit levels remain a continuing concern.

Type
Articles
Information
The Australian Journal of Rehabilitation Counselling , Volume 5 , Issue 1 , 1999 , pp. 23 - 30
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1999

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