For some first responders, recovery reaches a point where the issue is no longer just getting better. Sometimes the doctor eventually tells you that going back to your old assignment is not a good option. You may still be able to work, just not in patrol, firefighting, emergency response, or another job with the same physical demands.
That is where California’s Supplemental Job Displacement Benefit, or SJDB, may come into the picture. If your employer cannot offer work that fits your permanent restrictions, the voucher can help pay for training, education, or other steps toward a different type of job. If your medical restrictions have closed the door on your usual first-responder duties, our workman comp lawyers in Riverside can help you understand eligibility issues and what the voucher covers.
What happens when permanent restrictions keep you from returning to first-responder work?
Once your condition becomes permanent and stationary, your doctor may identify lasting restrictions that prevent you from returning to your usual job.
For a first responder, those restrictions may affect core duties such as:
- Carrying or wearing equipment
- Lifting, climbing, or prolonged standing
- Driving or sitting for extended periods
- Restraining or assisting other people
- Responding quickly during emergencies
Your employer may still offer regular, modified, or alternative work that fits those restrictions. However, when suitable work isn’t available, California may provide another option through the Supplemental Job Displacement Benefit.
What is the Supplemental Job Displacement Benefit?
The SJDB is a non-transferable voucher for retraining or skill enhancement. For injuries occurring on or after January 1, 2013, the voucher is worth $6,000, regardless of the permanent disability rating.
You may qualify when your work injury leaves you with permanent partial disability, and your employer does not make a qualifying offer of regular, modified, or alternative work within the required period. The voucher is not simply a cash payment. You can use the voucher to cover approved training, education, and related costs as you prepare for work that better fits your permanent restrictions.
What can you use the $6,000 voucher for?
California allows you to use the voucher for several retraining and career-transition expenses. Eligible expenses can include:
- Tuition, fees, books, and required training expenses
- Licensing, certification, and testing fees
- Tools required by an approved training program
- Computer equipment up to $1,000
- Up to $500 in miscellaneous expenses
- Vocational or return-to-work counseling, subject to applicable limits
In most cases, the training needs to be completed through a California public school or another state-approved provider. For a first responder who can no longer return to patrol, firefighting, or another physically demanding position, that money can help turn existing experience into a new career path rather than leaving you to figure out the transition alone.
Can an employer avoid the retraining voucher by offering another job?
Yes, if the employer makes a qualifying offer of regular, modified, or alternative work. For injuries on or after January 1, 2013, California generally looks at whether the employer offers suitable work within 60 days after the claims administrator receives the physician’s return-to-work and voucher report.
A qualifying position must satisfy specific requirements. California DWC guidance states that the job generally must:
- Fit your medical restrictions
- Pay at least 85% of your earnings at the time of injury
- Be expected to last at least 12 months
- Be within a reasonable commuting distance
Can you receive additional money after getting an SJDB voucher?
Yes. If your injury occurred on or after January 1, 2013, and you receive an SJDB voucher, you may also qualify for California’s Return-to-Work Supplement Program. The program currently provides a one-time $5,000 payment to eligible injured workers. Unlike the retraining voucher, this is a separate payment administered through the Department of Industrial Relations.
You must apply for the supplement within one year from the date the SJDB voucher was served on you. That deadline matters because you have to apply—receiving the voucher does not automatically trigger the $5,000 payment.
Which workman comp lawyers in Riverside, CA have experience with retraining benefits for first responders?
If permanent restrictions mean you cannot return to your old first-responder job, Workers Compensation OC can help you understand what benefits may support the transition. From La Sierra to all other parts of Riverside and the surrounding areas, we help injured responders review job offers, medical restrictions, eligibility for retraining assistance, and so much more.
If you’re not sure how apportionment affects permanent disability, how whole person impairment affects your rating, what to do when an MPN doctor isn’t meeting your needs, or how workers’ comp interacts with disability retirement, arrange a free consultation at our office. We’ll review your SJDB eligibility, job offer, and other return-to-work benefits so you have a clearer picture of your options. Call us today!
