Workers’ Compensation Retraining Voucher – Part 1
Los Angeles Workers’ Comp Attorneys
Explain Retraining Voucher Benefits –
What is a Workers Compensation
“Supplemental Job Displacement Voucher”?
Benefits for workers who have been injured on the job, include medical treatment, Temporary Disability, Permanent Disability and something called a “Supplemental Job Displacement Voucher”. This “voucher” pays for the injured employees’ retraining. And, those eligible for these vouchers may also be eligible for an additional $5,000 payment from the Return to Work Fund.
Prior to the year 2005, injured workers in California were entitled to a vocational rehabilitation program which included a budget for schooling and/or retraining, as well as equipment and/or tools needed. This program also issued payments to the worker while they were going to school – and included money for transportation, and a counselor to coach them through the retraining and re-entry process.
Unfortunately – as a result of 2004 workers’ compensation reform – most of those benefits are gone today. Now it has been replaced with the Supplemental Job Displacement Voucher Program.
How Much Workers Comp Retraining Money Will I Get?
The new voucher program, now offers a flat rate of $6,000 – which must be awarded once permanent disability rating is established.
Many injured employees may not even know that they are entitled to a voucher if they have been determined to have a permanent disability. Many eligible employees also do not realize that their voucher “expires,” and they end up losing it.
It is important to remember that this Workers Comp Retraining voucher expires within two years if it is not taken – and in five years if it is taken but not used.
Clearly, the workers’ comp insurance companies hope that the injured worker will not use the voucher – so that it will expire and they never have to pay out a single penny.
What Can I Use a Workers Comp Retraining Voucher For?
Most injured workers using the Workers Compensation Supplemental Job Displacement Voucher are not pursuing a Bachelor’s degree. And, in fact, the voucher allowance would likely not be enough to cover the full cost of earning a Bachelor’s degree – which can take 4 years or longer.
The vast majority of injured workers probably have a high school diploma (or are looking to obtain a General Educational Development certificate) – and their aim is to rapidly obtain educational or vocational training so they can continue to support their families. If you do not have a High School Diploma you can use the Workers Comp Retraining Voucher to obtain your GED.
An injured worker who has not completed high school, and uses the Workers Compensation Supplemental Job Displacement Voucher to obtain a GED certificate is qualifying themselves to apply for significantly more employment opportunities.
You can also use the voucher to cover the cost of vocational training or certification programs. And using the voucher to obtain vocational training or certification in a high demand field – such as electronics, computers, etc. can lead to lucrative new career in a matter of months rather than years.
Los Angeles Workers Compensation Attorneys
If you have been injured at work and have any questions – including questions about obtaining your Workers Compensation Supplemental Job Displacement Voucher – please call our office. Our experienced Los Angeles Workers Compensation attorneys will help you understand your benefits and ensure that you receive the maximum compensation for which you qualify.