Workers’ Compensation

What Kinds of Injuries or Illnesses are Covered?

Injuries or illnesses that arise out of and in the course of (due to) employment are covered under workers’ compensation. Those injuries could be a single event (having an automobile accident, slipping and falling, etc.) that causes an injury.

Another type of injury is one that occurs over a period of time such as losing hearing due to constant exposure to loud noises. Some injuries and illnesses for safety officers are legally presumed to be work-related because of the nature of their work.

Workers' Compensation Claims Administration

The City of Petaluma is self-insured for workers' compensation which means that all money to pay claims comes directly from the City and not an insurance company.

The City's worker's compensation claims are handled by the City's Risk and Human Resources Department. Kennan, the City's Third Party Administrator (TPA), which administers the City's workers' compensation claims.

Contacts

[email protected]

Lauren Carvalho, City of Petaluma Human Resources Specialist
[email protected]

Erika Leahy, City of Petaluma Risk Manager
[email protected]

Arlin Carazo, Keenan Claims Examiner
Phone (951)715-0190 ext. 1185
[email protected]

Temporary Disability Benefits

Contacts

Arlin Carazo, Keenan Claims Examiner
Phone (951)715-0190 ext. 1185
Email: [email protected]

• Medical Benefits
  All reasonable and necessary medical care for your work injury will be paid for by the City for your workers’ compensation claim. Medical benefits may include treatment by a doctor, hospital, or physical therapist, and lab tests, x-rays and medication. All medical costs are paid directly to the medical provider and no co-payments are required. If you do incur a workers’ compensation injury or illness, you should immediately notify your claims examiner if your medical provider attempts to bill you for treatment
• Temporary Disability Benefits
  If you are disabled and unable to work due to your work-related injury/illness, temporary disability benefits will partially replace your lost wages. Temporary disability pays two-thirds of an employees average weekly wage, subject to minimum and maximum amounts set by State law. Temporary disability payments begin when your doctor says you can't do your usual work or available modified work. The remaining one-third balance of your wage may be made up by using your accrued leaves.

Generally, temporary disability stops when you return to work, when the doctor releases you for work, you begin working modified duty or says your injury has improved as much as can be medically expected.

Sworn officers receive their full salary for the first year of disability, called 4850 or Disability Pay (DP) for Police and Firefighters pursuant to the City Ordinance.

How Do I Report a Work-related Injury or Illness?

Immediately report an injury or illness that you believe was caused by your work to your supervisor (or manager in the supervisor’s absence). The supervisor will provide you with a DWC-1 “Workers’ Compensation Claim Form” and "Employee and Supervisor Incident Report Form". Complete the employee section of the form including the date, place and description of how the injury occurred. Your supervisor or manager will then complete the employer section and provide you with a copy.

The completed form will be sent to the Risk, HR and the Claims Examiner for processing.