Chapter 6. Voluntary Plans of California Unemployment Insurance Code >> Division 1. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 6.

An employer, a majority of the employees employed in this state of an employer, or both, may apply to the Director of Employment Development for approval of a voluntary plan for the payment of disability benefits to the employees so electing. The benefits payable as indemnification for loss of wages under any voluntary plan shall be separately stated and designated in the plan "unemployment compensation disability benefits" separate and distinct from other benefits, if any.

(a) Except as provided by subdivision (b) of this section, neither an employee nor his or her employer shall be liable for the worker contributions required under this division with respect to wages paid by the employer while the employee is covered by an approved voluntary plan.
  (b) Each voluntary plan shall pay to the department for the Disability Fund 14 percent of the product obtained by multiplying the rate of worker contributions, as determined in Section 984, by the amount of the taxable wages paid to employees covered by the voluntary plan for disability benefit coverage for each calendar year. Such payments shall not constitute a part of the voluntary plan premium for purposes of any tax under any provision of law. Payments under this section shall be deposited in the Disability Fund.
  (c) The payments made under subdivision (b) of this section in excess of the credit to the unemployed disabled account made pursuant to Section 3012 shall reimburse the Disability Fund for the amounts paid for administrative costs arising out of voluntary plans as determined pursuant to Section 3269, and the aggregate amount paid as refunds and credits made to employees applicable to voluntary plans pursuant to Section 1176 as determined pursuant to Section 3266.
  (d) Each voluntary plan shall file with the director within the time required for payments under subdivision (e) of this section, a return containing the employer's business name, address, and account number, and such other information as the director shall prescribe. The director shall prescribe the form for the return.
  (e) Payments required under this section are due and payable on the first day of the calendar month following the close of each calendar quarter and shall become delinquent if not paid on or before the last day of such month.
  (f) The provisions of Article 8 (commencing with Section 1126) of Chapter 4 of Part 1 of this division with respect to the assessment of contributions and the provisions of Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 1701) of Part 1 of this division with respect to the collection of contributions shall apply to payments required by this section.
  (g) Whenever the director believes that a change in the percentage rate of payment specified in subdivision (b) may be necessary, he or she shall inform the Governor and the Legislature thereof and make recommendations accordingly.

Except as provided in this part, an employee covered by an approved voluntary plan at the commencement of a disability benefit period shall not be entitled to benefits from the Disability Fund. Benefits payable to that employee shall be the liability of the approved voluntary plan under which the employee was covered at the commencement of the disability benefit period, regardless of any subsequent disabling condition which may occur during that disability benefit period. The Director of Employment Development shall prescribe authorized regulations to allow benefits to individuals simultaneously covered by one or more approved voluntary plans and the Disability Fund.

The Director of Employment Development shall approve any voluntary plan, except one filed pursuant to Section 3255, as to which he or she finds that there is at least one employee in employment and all of the following exist:
  (a) The rights afforded to the covered employees are greater than those provided for in Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 2625), including those provided for in Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 3300).
  (b) The plan has been made available to all of the employees of the employer employed in this state or to all employees at any one distinct, separate establishment maintained by the employer in this state. "Employees" as used in this subdivision includes those individuals in partial or other forms of short-time employment and employees not in employment as the Director of Employment Development shall prescribe by authorized regulations.
  (c) A majority of the employees of the employer employed in this state or a majority of the employees employed at any one distinct, separate establishment maintained by the employer in this state have consented to the plan.
  (d) If the plan provides for insurance the form of the insurance policies to be issued have been approved by the Insurance Commissioner and are to be issued by an admitted disability insurer.
  (e) The employer has consented to the plan and has agreed to make the payroll deductions required, if any, and transmit the proceeds to the plan insurer, if any.
  (f) The plan provides for the inclusion of future employees.
  (g) The plan will be in effect for a period of not less than one year and, thereafter, continuously unless the Director of Employment Development finds that the employer or a majority of its employees employed in this state covered by the plan have given notice of withdrawal from the plan. The notice shall be filed in writing with the Director of Employment Development and shall be effective only on the anniversary of the effective date of the plan next following the filing of the notice, but in any event not less than 30 days from the time of the filing of the notice; except that the plan may be withdrawn on the operative date of any law increasing the benefit amounts provided by Sections 2653 and 2655 or the operative date of any change in the rate of worker contributions as determined by Section 984, if notice of the withdrawal from the plan is transmitted to the Director of Employment Development not less than 30 days prior to the operative date of that law or change. If the plan is not withdrawn on the 30 days' notice because of the enactment of a law increasing benefits or because of a change in the rate of worker contributions as determined by Section 984, the plan shall be amended to conform to that increase or change on the operative date of the increase or change.
  (h) The amount of deductions from the wages of an employee in effect for any plan shall not be increased on other than an anniversary of the effective date of the plan except to the extent that any increase in the deductions from the wages of an employee allowed by Section 3260 permits that amount to exceed the amount of deductions in effect.
  (i) The approval of the plan or plans will not result in a substantial selection of risks adverse to the Disability Fund.

(a) For the purposes of this section, "small-business-third-party administrator" (hereafter SBTPA), means an applicant that the director finds meets all of the following criteria at the time of application:
  (1) The SBTPA administers voluntary disability plans on behalf of its clients pursuant to a written agreement in a form and manner approved by the director.
  (2) The SBTPA has at least 1,000 California domiciled clients, 80 percent of whom have fewer than 20 employees.
  (3) The SBTPA processes payroll for its California domiciled clients.
  (4) The SBTPA offers workers' compensation insurance to its California domiciled clients through an affiliated California domiciled insurance company.
  (b) Except as modified by this section, "voluntary plan" shall be defined as, and shall be subject to the same provisions as, a "voluntary plan," as set forth in this chapter.
  (c) The director may approve a single voluntary plan for all of an SBTPA's clients and their employees where all of the following criteria are met:
  (1) The plan is administered by the SBTPA.
  (2) The plan establishes a master trust account that is administered by the SBTPA, and requires the SBTPA to maintain a separate accounting ledger for each individual employer that is a client of the SBTPA to reflect each client's specific plan contributions. The master trust account shall be held in a federally insured bank.
  (3) If the plan does not provide for the assumption by an admitted disability insurer of the liability of the employer to pay the benefits afforded by the plan, the director shall not approve it unless the SBTPA meets the financial security requirements of Section 3258 on behalf of the SBTPA clients and their employees.
  (4) (A) The single voluntary plan will be in effect for a period of not less than one year and, thereafter, continuously, unless the Director of Employment Development finds that the SBTPA has given notice of withdrawal of the plan. The notice filed by the SBTPA shall be filed in writing with the Director of Employment Development and shall be effective on the anniversary of the effective date of the plan next following the filing of the notice, but in any event shall not be less than 30 days from the time of the filing of the notice; except that the plan may be withdrawn on the operative date of any law increasing the benefit amounts provided by Sections 2653 and 2655 or the operative date of any change in the rate of worker contributions as determined by Section 984, if notice of the withdrawal from the plan is transmitted to the Director of Employment Development not less than 30 days prior to the operative date of that law or change. If the plan is not withdrawn on the 30 days' notice because of the enactment of a law increasing benefits or because of a change in the rate of worker contributions as determined by Section 984, the plan shall be amended to conform to that increase or change on the operative date of the increase or change.
  (B) Any individual employer who is a client of the SBTPA, or a majority of that client's employees employed in this state covered by the plan, may also terminate their participation in the plan by giving written notice of withdrawal from the plan to the SBTPA and to the Director of Employment Development not less than 30 days prior to the date of withdrawal.
  (C) The Director of Employment Development may terminate the participation of an individual employer client of the SBTPA from the plan for cause, and the employer's voluntary plan assets shall be recovered from the SBTPA and not from the employer as referenced in Section 3262.
  (5) The rights afforded to the covered employees are greater than those provided for in Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 2625), including those provided for in Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 3300).
  (6) The plan has been made available to all of the employees of the employer employed in this state or to all employees at any one distinct, separate establishment maintained by the employer in this state. "Employees" as used in this paragraph includes those individuals in partial or other forms of short-time employment and employees not in employment as the director shall prescribe by authorized regulations.
  (7) A majority of the employees of the client employed in this state or a majority of the employees employed at any one distinct, separate establishment maintained by the client in this state have consented to the plan.
  (8) If the plan provides for insurance, the form of the insurance policies to be issued has been approved by the Insurance Commissioner and is to be issued by an admitted disability insurer.
  (9) The client has consented to the plan and has authorized the SBTPA to make the payroll deductions required, if any, and deposit the proceeds into the master account administered by the SBTPA as referenced in paragraph (2).
  (10) The plan provides for the inclusion of future employees.
  (11) The amount of deductions from the wages of an employee of any client in effect for the plan shall not be increased on other than an anniversary of the effective date of the plan except to the extent that any increase in the deductions from the wages of an employee allowed by Section 3260 permits that amount to exceed the amount of deductions in effect.
  (12) The approval of the plan or plans will not result in a substantial selection of risks adverse to the Disability Fund.
  (d) The department may adopt application forms and procedures as deemed necessary to ensure compliance with this section.
  (e) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting paragraph (3) of subdivision (c) that, in the event of the insolvency of an employer-client of the SBTPA, or of the SBTPA, the disability claims against the subaccount of any employer-client arising prior to the date of the insolvency shall be satisfied by first accessing the security of the SBTPA, as described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (c), rather than satisfying the claims from the Disability Fund.

A voluntary plan in force and effect at the time a successor employing unit acquires the organization, trade, or business, or substantially all the assets thereof, or a distinct and severable portion of the organization, trade, or business, and continues its operation without substantial reduction of personnel resulting from the acquisition, shall not withdraw without specific request for withdrawal thereof. The successor employing unit and the insurer shall be deemed to have consented to the provisions of the plan unless written request for withdrawal, effective as of the date of acquisition, is transmitted to the Director of Employment Development, by the employer or the insurer, within 30 days after the acquisition date, or within 30 days after notification from the Director of Employment Development that the plan is to continue, whichever is later. Unless the plan is withdrawn as of the date of acquisition by the successor employer or the insurer, a written request for withdrawal shall be effective only on the anniversary of the effective date of the plan next occurring on or after the date of acquisition, except that the plan may be withdrawn on the operative date of any law increasing the benefit amounts provided by Sections 2653 and 2655 or the operative date of any change in the rate of worker contributions as determined by Section 984, if notice of the withdrawal of the plan is transmitted to the Director of Employment Development not less than 30 days prior to the operative date of law or change. If the plan is not withdrawn on 30 days' notice because of the enactment of a law increasing benefits or because of a change in the rate of worker contributions as determined by Section 984, the plan shall be amended to conform to the increase or change on the operative date of the increase or change. Promptly, upon notice of change in ownership, any insurer of a plan shall prepare and issue policy forms and amendments as required, unless the plan is withdrawn. Nothing contained in this section shall prevent future withdrawal of any plans on an anniversary of the effective date of the plan upon 30 days' notice, except that the plan may be withdrawn on the operative date of any law increasing the benefit amounts provided by Sections 2653 and 2655 or the operative date of any change in the rate of worker contributions as determined by Section 984, if notice of the withdrawal of the plan is transmitted to the Director of Employment Development not less than 30 days prior to the operative date of the law or change. If the plan is not withdrawn on 30 days' notice because of the enactment of a law increasing benefits or because of a change in the rate of worker contributions as determined by Section 984, the plan shall be amended to conform to the increase or change on the operative date of the increase or change.

When workers are engaged in an employment that normally involves working for several employers in the same industry interchangeably, and several employers or some of them cooperate to establish a plan for the payment of wages at a central place or places, and have appointed an agent under Section 1096, that agent, or a majority of workers regularly paid through a central place or places, or both, may apply to the Director of Employment Development for approval of a voluntary plan for the payment of disability benefits applicable to all employees whose wages are paid at one or more central place or places. The Director of Employment Development shall approve any voluntary plan under this section as to which he or she finds that all of the following exist:
  (a) The rights afforded to the covered employees are greater than those provided for in Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 2625) of this part, and are separately stated and designated "unemployment compensation disability benefits" separate and distinct from other benefits, if any.
  (b) The plan applies to all employees whose wages are paid at a central place or places with respect to all employment for which wages are paid at central place or places.
  (c) Seventy-five percent of the workers regularly paid at the central place or places have consented to the plan prior to the filing of the initial application for approval.
  (d) If the plan provides for insurance the form of the insurance policies to be issued have been approved by the Insurance Commissioner and are to be issued by an admitted disability insurer.
  (e) All employers paying wages through the central place or places have agreed to participate in the plan and the agent appointed under Section 1096 has agreed to make the payroll deductions required, if any, and transmit the proceeds to the plan insurer, if any.
  (f) The plan provides for the inclusion of all future employees paid at the central place or places.
  (g) The plan is to be in effect for a period of not less than one year and, thereafter, continuously unless the Director of Employment Development finds that the agent or a majority of the employees regularly paid at the central place or places has given written notice of withdrawal from the plan. The notice shall be filed in writing with the Director of Employment Development at least 30 days before it is to become effective and, upon the filing, will be effective only as to wages paid after the beginning of the calendar quarter next occurring on or after the anniversary of the effective date of the plan; except that the plan may be withdrawn on the operative date of any law increasing the benefit amounts provided by Sections 2653 and 2655 or the operative date of any change in the rate of worker contributions as determined by Section 984, if notice of the withdrawal from the plan is transmitted to the Director of Employment Development not less than 30 days prior to the operative date of that law or change. If the plan is not withdrawn on 30 days' notice because of the enactment of a law increasing benefits or because of a change in the rate of worker contributions as determined by Section 984, the plan shall be amended to conform to that increase or change on the operative date of the increase or change.
  (h) The amount of deductions from the wages of an employee in effect for any plan shall not be increased on other than an anniversary of the effective date of the plan except to the extent that any increase in the deductions from the wages of an employee allowed by Section 3260 permits that amount to exceed the amount of deductions in effect.
  (i) The approval of the plan or plans will not result in a substantial selection of risks adverse to the Disability Fund.

During the effective period of a plan approved under Section 3255 the employer, or his agent appointed under Section 1096, may make the pay roll deductions provided for by the plan, with respect to all employment covered by the plan.

Whenever eighty-five percent (85%) of the employees to whom a plan is available have consented to the plan, the employer, or seventy-five percent (75%) of the employees who have consented to the plan, or both, may elect to make the plan applicable to all employees to whom it is available, except those who reject the plan. In such case, there shall be filed with the Director of Employment Development a notice stating that the requisite percentage of employees has consented to the plan and fixing the date upon which the plan will become applicable to all employees to whom it is available. At least 10 days before the date fixed in the notice, a notice shall be posted and circulated in a manner reasonably calculated to bring it to the attention of all employees to whom the plan is available but who have not consented thereto. The notice to such employees shall set forth the date the plan is to become applicable and the manner in which an employee may reject it. From the time fixed in the notice filed with the Director of Employment Development all employees to whom the plan is available shall be deemed to have elected to be covered by the plan, except those who advise the employer in writing of their rejection within the time fixed. Every person employed after the date the plan becomes applicable and to whom the plan is available, shall be deemed to have elected to be covered by the plan from the time of employment unless he rejects the plan prior to or at the time of employment. Each employee at the time of employment shall be given a written notice specifying his right to consent to or to reject such plan and a written statement setting forth the essential features of the plan. Any employee covered by a plan may withdraw from the plan as of the beginning of any calendar quarter upon giving reasonable notice in writing directed to the employer. The form of the statement and the forms of the notices required under this Section shall be approved by the Director of Employment Development.

If a voluntary plan does not provide for the assumption by an admitted disability insurer of the liability of the employer to pay the benefits afforded by the plan, the director shall not approve it unless the employer files with the director the bond of an admitted surety insurer conditioned on the payment by the employer of its obligations under the plan, deposits with the director securities approved by the director to secure the payment of the obligations, or deposits with the director an irrevocable letter of credit. The penal sum of the bond or the amount of the deposit of securities or letter of credit shall be determined by the director and shall be not less than the product obtained by multiplying the rate of worker contributions in the ensuing year, as determined in Section 984, by 0.5 of the estimated taxable wages prescribed by Section 985 to be paid to the employees for the ensuing year. Upon approval, the bond, money, or securities shall upon the director's written order be deposited with the Treasurer for the purpose specified in this section. The Treasurer shall give a receipt for the deposits and the state shall be responsible for the custody and safe return of any securities so deposited.

Whenever an approved voluntary plan is insured by an admitted disability insurer, the insurer shall be substituted for the employer with respect to any assessments under this part which relate to the portion of the voluntary plan insured by such insurer.

An employer may, but need not, assume all or part of the cost of the plan, and may deduct from the wages of an employee covered by the plan, for the purpose of providing the disability benefits specified in this part, an amount not in excess of that which would be required by Sections 984 and 985 if the employee were not covered by the plan.

(a) All deductions from the wages of an employee remaining in the possession of the employer upon its voluntary withdrawal of the plan as a result of plan contributions being in excess of plan costs, that are not disposed of in conformity with authorized regulations of the Director of Employment Development, shall be remitted to the department and deposited in the Disability Fund. If an employer fails to remit any deductions to the Disability Fund, the Director of Employment Development shall assess the amount thereof against the employer.
  (b) The provisions of Article 8 (commencing with Section 1126) of Chapter 4 of Part 1, with respect to the assessment of contributions, and the provisions of Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 1701) of Part 1, with respect to the collection of contributions, shall apply to assessments provided by this section, except that interest may not accrue until 30 days after issuance of the notice of assessment.
  (c) With respect to individuals covered by a voluntary plan on January 1 of any calendar year for which the limitation on wages under Section 985 is increased or the tax rate under Section 984 is increased, the amount of the deduction on or after that date may be increased to apply to not more than the maximum limitation on taxable wages or to not more than the maximum tax rate, as applicable, without any further consent of the individual or approval of the Director of Employment Development, but only if such increase in the amount of the deductions is made effective as of January 1 of the affected calendar year.

All employee contributions and income arising therefrom received or retained by an employer under an approved voluntary plan are trust funds that are not considered to be part of an employer's assets. An employer shall either maintain a separate, specifically identifiable account for voluntary plan trust funds in a financial institution, or an employer may transmit voluntary plan trust funds, including any earned interest or income, directly to the admitted disability insurer. If an employer, with prior approval from the Director of Employment Development, invests voluntary plan trust funds in securities purchased through a commercial bank under Article 4 of Chapter 10 of Division 1 of the Financial Code, the securities account shall be separately identifiable from any other securities accounts maintained by the employer. In the event of commingling of voluntary plan trust funds, or the bankruptcy or insolvency of the employer, or the appointment of a receiver for the business of the employer, those voluntary plan trust funds are entitled to the same preference as are the claims of the state under Sections 1701 and 1702.

(a) The Director of Employment Development may terminate any voluntary plan if the director finds that there is danger that the benefits accrued or to accrue will not be paid, that the security for the payment is insufficient, or for other good cause shown. The Director of Employment Development shall give notice of his or her intention to terminate a plan to the employer, employee group, and insurer. The notice shall state the effective date and the reason for the withdrawal. The Director of Employment Development may change or stay the effective date of the termination.
  (b) Notwithstanding Section 3260.5, on the effective date of the termination of a plan by the Director of Employment Development, all moneys in the plan, including moneys paid by the employer, moneys paid by the employee, moneys owed to the voluntary plan by the employer but not yet paid to the plan, and any interest accrued on all these moneys, shall be remitted to the department and deposited into the Disability Fund.
  (c) If an employer fails to remit all moneys owed to the Disability Fund after termination of the plan, the Director of Employment Development shall make an assessment against the employer equal to the amount of the moneys owed. The Director of Employment Development shall also make an assessment against the employer for all benefits paid from the Disability Fund after the termination of the plan, less any moneys received from the employer after the termination of the plan.
  (d) The provisions of Article 8 (commencing with Section 1126) of Chapter 4 of Part 1, with respect to the assessment of moneys, and the provisions of Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 1701) of Part 1, with respect to the collection of moneys owed, shall apply to assessments authorized under this section, except that interest may not accrue until 30 days after issuance of the notice of assessment.
  (e) The employer, employee group or insurer may, within 10 days from mailing or personal service of the notice, appeal to the Appeals Board. The 10-day period may be extended for good cause. The Appeals Board may prescribe by regulation the time, manner, method and procedure through which it may determine appeals under this section.
  (f) The payment of benefits from the Disability Fund and the transfer of moneys in the voluntary plan may not be delayed during an employer's appeal of the termination of a voluntary plan.

(a) An employee is no longer covered by an approved voluntary plan if a disability arose after the employment relationship with the voluntary plan employer ends, or if the Director of Employment Development terminates a voluntary plan in accordance with Section 3262.
  (b) An employee who has ceased to be covered by an approved voluntary plan shall, if otherwise eligible, thereupon immediately become entitled to benefits from the Disability Fund to the same extent as though there had been no exemption from contributions as provided in this chapter.

If any employer or insurer wholly or partially denies liability upon the claim of an employee for disability benefits under an approved plan, the employee may appeal the denial in the manner provided by law and authorized regulations for an appeal on a claim for benefits payable out of the Disability Fund. All decisions of the Appeals Board denying benefits under this section shall be subject to review by the courts of this State by the exclusive remedy of filing a petition for writ of mandate. No such petition may be filed, however, until the employee exhausts the administrative remedies provided for in this division, nor may any other action be commenced by an employee upon a denial of his claim by his employer or insurer, as the case may be, other than that prescribed herein.

(a) If, on appeal, it is decided that an employee is entitled to receive disability benefits under an approved voluntary plan and the employer or insurer fails to pay the same within 15 days after notice of a decision by an administrative law judge or the appeals board, the director shall pay such benefits and shall assess the amount thereof against the employer or the insurer, and the provisions of Article 8 (commencing with Section 1126) of Chapter 4 of Part 1 of this division with respect to the assessment of contributions and the provisions of Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 1701) of Part 1 of this division with respect to the collection of contributions shall apply to the recovery of such benefit payments. Amounts so collected shall be deposited in the Disability Fund.
  (b) If an approved voluntary plan is not terminated because of the enactment of any law increasing the benefit amounts provided by Sections 2653 and 2655, and the employer or insurer fails to pay such increase under the plan, the director shall pay such benefits to an employee, if otherwise eligible, and shall assess the amount thereof against the employer or the insurer and the provisions of Article 8 (commencing with Section 1126) of Chapter 4 of Part 1 of this division with respect to the assessment of contributions and the provisions of Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 1701) of Part 1 of this division with respect to the collection of contributions shall apply to the recovery of such benefit payments. Amounts so collected shall be deposited in the Disability Fund.

The director shall in accordance with his or her authorized regulations determine the portion of the aggregate amount of refunds and credits to employees made under Section 1176 during any calendar year which is applicable to voluntary plans for which deductions were made under Section 3260, such determination to be based upon the relation during the preceding calendar year of the amount of wages subject to contributions to the Disability Fund to the amount of wages exempt from contributions to the Disability Fund under Section 3252.

Employers whose employees are participating in an approved voluntary plan and any insurer of an approved plan shall furnish such reports and information and make available to the department such records as the director may by authorized regulations require for the proper administration of this part.

The Director of Employment Development shall, in accordance with his authorized regulations, promptly furnish to employers, employees, or insurers, such information as may be required for the proper administration of an approved voluntary plan.

The director shall in accordance with his or her authorized regulations, determine each fiscal year the total amount expended for added administrative work arising out of voluntary plans.

The provisions of subdivision (i) of Section 3254 and subdivision (i) of Section 3255, dealing with substantial selection of risks adverse to the Disability Fund, shall be operative as of January 1, 1962.

(a) The director shall approve any amendment to a voluntary plan adjusting the provisions thereof as to periods after the effective date of the amendment as to which he or she finds that the plan, as amended, will conform to the standards set forth in Section 3254, and that any of the following exist:
  (1) A majority of the employees covered by the plan have consented in writing to the amendment.
  (2) All of the employees covered by the plan who are adversely affected by the amendment have consented in writing to the amendment.
  (3) The insurer of such plan, if any, has certified to the director that notice of the amendment either separately or as a part of a new certificate or statement of coverage, has, at least 10 days prior to the effective date of the proposed amendment, been delivered to the employer for distribution to his or her employees within 10 days thereafter and has further certified that such notice specifically included notification to the employees covered by the plan of their right to withdraw from the plan.
  (b) Nothing contained in this section is intended to deny or limit the right of the director to make regulations supplementary thereto, nor on the general subject of requirements for amendments of voluntary plans.

The provisions of Article 9 (commencing with Section 1176) of Chapter 4 of Part 1 of this division shall apply to amounts collected under Sections 3252, 3260, and 3265, to amounts remitted to the Disability Fund under Section 3260, and to amounts paid to an employee by an employer or insurer after a final decision on appeal under Section 3264 to an administrative law judge or the appeals board that the employee is entitled to disability benefits.