Section 3370 Of Article 2. Employees From California Labor Code >> Division 4. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 2. >> Article 2.
3370
. (a) Each inmate of a state penal or correctional institution
shall be entitled to the workers' compensation benefits provided by
this division for injury arising out of and in the course of assigned
employment and for the death of the inmate if the injury proximately
causes death, subject to all of the following conditions:
(1) The inmate was not injured as the result of an assault in
which the inmate was the initial aggressor, or as the result of the
intentional act of the inmate injuring himself or herself.
(2) The inmate shall not be entitled to any temporary disability
indemnity benefits while incarcerated in a state prison.
(3) No benefits shall be paid to an inmate while he or she is
incarcerated. The period of benefit payment shall instead commence
upon release from incarceration. If an inmate who has been released
from incarceration, and has been receiving benefits under this
section, is reincarcerated in a city or county jail, or state penal
or correctional institution, the benefits shall cease immediately
upon the inmate's reincarceration and shall not be paid for the
duration of the reincarceration.
(4) This section shall not be construed to provide for the payment
to an inmate, upon release from incarceration, of temporary
disability benefits which were not paid due to the prohibition of
paragraph (2).
(5) In determining temporary and permanent disability indemnity
benefits for the inmate, the average weekly earnings shall be taken
at not more than the minimum amount set forth in Section 4453.
(6) Where a dispute exists respecting an inmate's rights to the
workers' compensation benefits provided herein, the inmate may file
an application with the appeals board to resolve the dispute. The
application may be filed at any time during the inmate's
incarceration.
(7) After release or discharge from a correctional institution,
the former inmate shall have one year in which to file an original
application with the appeals board, unless the time of injury is such
that it would allow more time under Section 5804 of the Labor Code.
(8) The percentage of disability to total disability shall be
determined as for the occupation of a laborer of like age by applying
the schedule for the determination of the percentages of permanent
disabilities prepared and adopted by the administrative director.
(9) This division shall be the exclusive remedy against the state
for injuries occurring while engaged in assigned work or work under
contract. Nothing in this division shall affect any right or remedy
of an injured inmate for injuries not compensated by this division.
(b) The Department of Corrections shall present to each inmate of
a state penal or correctional institution, prior to his or her first
assignment to work at the institution, a printed statement of his or
her rights under this division, and a description of procedures to be
followed in filing for benefits under this section. The statement
shall be approved by the administrative director and be posted in a
conspicuous place at each place where an inmate works.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this division, the
Department of Corrections shall have medical control over treatment
provided an injured inmate while incarcerated in a state prison,
except, that in serious cases, the inmate is entitled, upon request,
to the services of a consulting physician.
(d) Paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) of subdivision (a) shall also be
applicable to an inmate of a state penal or correctional institution
who would otherwise be entitled to receive workers' compensation
benefits based on an injury sustained prior to his or her
incarceration. However, temporary and permanent disability benefits
which, except for this subdivision, would otherwise be payable to an
inmate during incarceration based on an injury sustained prior to
incarceration shall be paid to the dependents of the inmate. If the
inmate has no dependents, the temporary disability benefits which,
except for this subdivision, would otherwise be payable during the
inmate's incarceration shall be paid to the State Treasury to the
credit of the Uninsured Employers Fund, and the permanent disability
benefits which would otherwise be payable during the inmate's
incarceration shall be held in trust for the inmate by the Department
of Corrections during the period of incarceration.
For purposes of this subdivision, "dependents" means the inmate's
spouse or children, including an inmate's former spouse due to
divorce and the inmate's children from that marriage.
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this division, an
employee who is an inmate, as defined in subdivision (e) of Section
3351 who is eligible for vocational rehabilitation services as
defined in Section 4635 shall only be eligible for direct placement
services.