Bill Text: CA SB631 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Workers’ compensation: gender equity comparative analysis.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Engrossed) 2023-09-01 - September 1 hearing: Held in committee and under submission. [SB631 Detail]

Download: California-2023-SB631-Introduced.html

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CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill

No. 631

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Introduced by Senator Cortese

February 16, 2023

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An act to add and repeal Section 3206.5 of the Labor Code, relating to workers’ compensation.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 631, as introduced, Cortese. Workers’ compensation: gender equity comparative analysis.

Existing law establishes a workers’ compensation system, administered by the Administrative Director of the Division of Workers’ Compensation, to compensate an employee, as defined, for injuries sustained in the course of employment. Existing law establishes various benefits to be paid or provided to injured employees, including temporary total disability, temporary partial disability, and permanent disability, which are based on an employee’s average earnings, as specified.

This bill would require the administrative director, in collaboration with the University of California at Berkeley to prepare a comparative analysis to examine differences in workers’ compensation benefits provided to employees of different genders, including differences between industries, rate of claim denial, and any difference in compensation paid, as specified. The bill would require the administrative director to prepare and provide a report on the comparative analysis to the Legislature no later than January 1, 2025.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

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Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

 Section 3206.5 is added to the Labor Code, to read:

3206.5.

 (a) The administrative director, in collaboration with the University of California at Berkeley, shall prepare a comparative analysis to examine differences in workers’ compensation benefits provided to employees of different genders. The analysis shall include a comparison between the genders in different industries, monetizing the value of compensation, the rate at which claims are denied, and any differences in compensation benefits, not including medical treatment.

(b) The administrative director shall prepare and provide a report on the comparative analysis to the Legislature no later than January 1, 2025.

(c) (1) A report to be submitted pursuant to subdivision (b) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

(2) Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, this section is repealed on January 1, 2029.