The Division of Workers’ Compensation has added two vocational rehabilitation counselors to the Labor Code 4615 list in lieu of a recent indictment with allegations of an improper referral arrangement.
The DWC’s addition of the providers to the list means that their liens are stayed, pursuant to Labor Code 4615. The providers are:
- Laura Wilson and Laura Wilson and Associates
- Hazel Ortega and Ortega Counseling Center
The additions to the list occurred after the California Department of Insurance announced criminal charges in an alleged kickback scheme on Aug. 20. The department contends that Guillermo Frias, president and CEO of vocational school Caledonian Inc., had participated in a scheme to pay vocational counselors and employees to refer students to Caledonian for supplemental job displacement voucher work.
The addition to the list means that any liens related to these entities are stayed until further notice.
According to the DWC’s LC 4615 Packet Document List, the name of the lead criminal case in the indictment is People v. Guillermo Frias, et al., Case #24CJC02937. It was filed on 5/6/24.
The SJDB voucher typically provides up to $6,000 for retraining at vocational schools, who are supposed to provide injured workers with a laptop and vocational training. Workers become entitled to the voucher when they are deemed permanently partially disabled, and their employer does not make a bona fide job offer within 60 days of a report finding the applicant to be PPD.
For more information on the indictment, go to the following links:
https://www.insurance.ca.gov/0400-news/0100-press-releases/2024/release038-2024.cfm
https://www.workcompcentral.com/news/article/id/fcfd8f633ebb6c0280fe30008e6d78920b70f4ae
For the DWC’s LC 4615 public documents page, go here:
https://www.dir.ca.gov/Fraud_Prevention/4615-List.htm
Got a question about workers’ compensation defense issues or pending legislation? Feel free to contact John P. Kamin. Mr. Kamin is a workers’ compensation defense attorney and partner at Bradford & Barthel’s Woodland Hills location, where he monitors the recent legislative affairs as the firm’s Director of the Editorial Board. Mr. Kamin previously worked as a journalist for WorkCompCentral, where he reported on work-related injuries in all 50 states. Please feel free to contact John at jkamin@bradfordbarthel.com or at (818) 654-0411.
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