What is the Supplemental Job Displacement Benefit?
If your work injury keeps you from doing your old job, this benefit can help you develop new skills for a different job.
If you are injured on the job and wind up with a permanent disability that keeps you from doing your previous job, and your employer doesn’t have other work to offer you, then you could qualify for the supplemental job displacement benefit (SJDB). This benefit comes in the form of a voucher you can use to get vocational training at a California public school or another provider on the state’s list of eligible training providers. The SJDB is currently worth $6,000.
The SJDB can be used to cover any tuition costs charged by the provider, as well as the following:
- Pay for licensing or certification fees and testing fees
- Buy tools required by a training course
- Buy up to $1,000 in computer equipment
- Get reimbursed for other miscellaneous expenses up to $500
- Up to ten percent of the voucher or $600 can go toward using a licensed placement agency or vocational counselor and paying their fees
The SJDB in its current form covers injuries that occurred on or after January 1, 2013. For injuries that occurred between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2012, the SJDB voucher will help pay for educational retraining, skill enhancement, or a combination of the two, at a state-approved or state-accredited school.
Return-to-Work Supplement Program
If you received an SJDB voucher for an injury that occurred on or after January 1, 2013, then you can also qualify for an additional payment of $5,000 from the Return-to-Work Supplement Program. Your application must be received by the program within one year from the date your SJDB voucher was mailed. This timeline can be tricky, and you’ll need to gather certain information to apply, so give yourself plenty of time to review the application and make sure you understand it and have everything you need to apply for this valuable benefit. You can apply online or at your nearest Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) office.
Help Is Available if You Need It
If you are being told that you don’t qualify for the SJDB, or if you think the voucher is for the wrong amount or have other issues, an experienced workers’ compensation attorney might be able to work out the discrepancy or plead your case before a judge at the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board. Don’t miss out on important financial assistance that can help you get back on your feet after a serious on-the-job injury.
