California disabled workers and their attorneys are angered by a new workers’ compensation bill circulating through the Capitol. As Amy Quinton reports from Sacramento, the groups argue it harms severely injured workers the most.
The bill’s critics say the new workers compensation bill would reduce benefits for thousands with permanent disabilities. The legislation is designed to increase benefits for injured workers across the board. But Attorney Tommy Ruedaflores says it comes at a cost. “The people that are maimed and injured the worst, get the least, and the people that go back to work and aren’t that injured get the most, that is the problem with this bill.”
But Democratic Senator Kevin de León, the bill’s author, says the goal is to make sure injured workers are rightfully compensated. "I can understand the sense of angst if you will among all folks cause they don’t know what the end product looks like. We’re not even sure ourselves. That’s why we’re having these very frank and important conversations.”
A vote on the bill must come by midnight on Friday.