Workers Compensation Terms and Definitions

Wage Loss Temporary disability benefits that may be paid when an employee returns to work at less than full earnings. Also known as Temporary Partial Disability (TPD). Transportation Expenses A benefit to cover your out-of-pocket expenses for mileage, parking, and toll fees related to a claim, usually a reimbursement. Workers' Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) The judicial unit that formally resolves workers' compensation disputes. Light Duty Temporary change in job assignment to accommodate work restrictions while you are healing. May or may not pay at the same rate as your normal work assignment. Lost wages may be partially made up by Temporary Partial Disability (TPD) payments. Consultative Rating A rating of permanent disability provided by the DWC Disability Evaluation Unit when a claim is litigated or if the injured worker has an attorney. See Permanent Disability Rating. Apportionment A way of figuring out how much of your permanent disability is due to your industrial injury and how much is due to other disabilities. Settlement A workers' compensation cases may be settled in one of two ways, by a Compromise and Release (C&R) or by a Stipulation with Request for Award (Stip). A C&R usually settles all outstanding issues in a claim for a single lump sum payment. A Stipulation may leave certain issues open, such as future medical treatment and/or vocational rehabilition. Workers' Compensation Administrative Law Judge Judges at DWC district offices that conduct hearings, take evidence, issue decisions, and approve settlements. Panel Qualified Medical Evaluator A list of three independent qualified medical evaluators issued by the state Industrial Medical Council. You select any one of the three doctors for your evaluation. This is for workers not represented by an attorney. Vocational Rehabilitation This benefit assists qualified injured workers in returning to work.

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	Did You Know?
	OSHA has developed final "Guidelines for Preventing Workplace Violence OSHA has developed final "Guidelines for Preventing Workplace Violence for Health Care and Social Service Workers" and draft guidelines for night retail establishments. The intent of the guidelines is to educate employers on finding ways to provide a more secure work environment. Consequently, OSHA hopes that employers will voluntarily implement workplace violence protection programs. Workplace violence has emerged as an important safety issue in today's workplaces. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) fatality data, assaults and violent acts caused 20 percent of the fatal occupational injuries in the United States in 1994.