Existing law generally grants to state officers and employees who are members of the Public Employees’ Retirement System or the State Teachers’ Retirement System, among others, a right to industrial disability leave, as defined. Existing law also grants an employee who is a member of State Bargaining Unit 8 and is temporarily disabled in the course of state employment for more than 22 days an extended industrial disability leave benefit based on his or her net salary, as defined. Existing law authorizes the employee to receive this benefit for a period not to exceed 52 weeks after the date of injury or until the date the injury is declared permanent, whichever is earlier. Existing law also authorizes an eligible employee whose injuries are burn-related to receive that benefit for up to 156 weeks.

This bill would delete the above requirement that an employee of State Bargaining Unit 8 be temporarily disabled for a period that exceeds 22 consecutive days to be entitled to the enhanced industrial disability leave benefit. The bill would also include within this benefit any salary increases that the employee would have received during his or her leave. The bill would revise the above condition concerning an injury or illness being declared permanent to include that it also be declared stationary.