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April 25, 2024
California Department of Industrial Relations and Cal/OSHA Will Honor Workers’ Memorial Day at Four Events in California on April 28th-29th 2024. Cal/OSHA Joining Partners in Arcadia, Richmond, San Diego and San Francisco.

April 23, 2024
California Division of Workers' Compensation Launches Online Portal for Submission of QME Medical-Legal Reports

April 22, 2024
California Division of Workers’ Compensation Posts Updated Time of Hire Notice

April 22, 2024
Sullivan on Comp Launches ChatSOC. It's an Innovative Chatbot for California Workers' Compensation Professionals Integrated with an Authoritative Legal Treatise

To chisel away at rising workers’ compensation and disability retirement costs, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors wants Riverside County Sheriff’s Department smokers to kick the habit cold turkey.

The plan, which was initially approved Dec. 16 by the board, would require the sheriff’s department to hire only non-smoking deputies.

For those deputies who regularly succumb to nicotine cravings, the board hopes they can be persuaded to enroll in a stop smoking program.

The county also hopes that its ban on smoking in official vehicles and a 20-foot non-smoking perimeter around its buildings will help deputies who smoke feel the heat to quit.

Board members, according to the Press-Enterprise, said the drastic measure is a way for the county to offset work comp laws that favor certain safety employees. Such employees are eligible for workers’ compensation and disability retirement benefits if they develop any disability that stems from heart disease, diabetes or cancer regardless if smoking is a contributing factor.

Ron Komers, director of human resources for Riverside County, explained to the Enterprise that because of their poor health, smokers suffer more injuries and take longer to recover.

The plan must still be negotiated with union leaders before it is implemented. But if approved and attractive results are rendered, board members would like to apply the smoking ban on all new hires.