Can I get job retraining after a work injury? The SJDB voucher and the Return-to-Work Supplement

Yes, when a work injury leaves a permanent partial disability and the employer does not make a qualifying offer of regular, modified or alternative work. For injuries on or after January 1, 2013, Labor Code 4658.7 then requires a supplemental job displacement benefit (SJDB): a nontransferable voucher of up to $6,000 for retraining, licensing, tools and related costs. A worker who receives the voucher can also apply to the state’s Return-to-Work Supplement Program for a one-time $5,000 payment (DIR, Return-to-Work Supplement Program, read October 8, 2026).

For these injuries the voucher amount does not depend on the disability rating. The DWC benefits table lists $6,000 for every injury year from 2013 through 2026.

Who receives the SJDB voucher?

The voucher is owed when the injury causes permanent partial disability and the employer does not offer work that meets two tests in Labor Code 4658.7(b). The offer must come no later than 60 days after the claims administrator receives the first doctor’s report, on form DWC-AD 10133.36, finding you permanent and stationary (no longer improving or getting worse) with permanent partial disability. And the work must last at least 12 months. The offer itself comes on form DWC-AD 10133.35, the Notice of Offer of Regular, Modified, or Alternative Work (8 CCR 10133.34).

The DWC’s SJDB answers add that the job must pay at least 85 percent of your wages and compensation at the time of injury, be within a reasonable commute of where you lived then, and involve essential functions you can perform (Labor Code 4658.1). A worker who lost no time from work, or returned to the same job for the same employer, is treated as having been offered and accepted regular work (8 CCR 10133.31(c)). If a qualifying offer is made and you do not accept it, the voucher is not owed.

When does the voucher arrive?

The claims administrator must offer the voucher within 20 days after the 60-day window for a job offer runs out (Labor Code 4658.7(c)). It comes on form DWC-AD 10133.32, the Supplemental Job Displacement Nontransferable Voucher For Injuries Occurring on or After 1/1/13 (8 CCR 10133.31(d)). The DWC says every voucher must come with a cover sheet giving notice of the Return-to-Work Supplement Program.

What does the voucher pay for?

The voucher pays for training and job-search costs you choose, up to $6,000 in total. Retraining must be at a California public school or with a provider on the state’s Eligible Training Provider List (Labor Code 4658.7(e)). The DWC points workers to CalJOBS to search approved SJDB training providers.

What it can pay for	Limit
Tuition, fees, books and other costs the school requires for retraining or skill enhancement	Within the $6,000 total
Occupational license or professional certification fees, exam fees and exam prep courses	Within the $6,000 total
Licensed placement agency, vocational or return-to-work counselor, résumé preparation	10 percent combined ($600)
Tools required by a training program you are enrolled in	Within the $6,000 total
Computer equipment	Up to $1,000
Miscellaneous expenses, paid on request with no itemized receipts	Up to $500
Transportation, travel, phone or internet, clothing or uniforms, other incidentals	Not covered

Source: Labor Code 4658.7(e) (captured from leginfo October 8, 2026) and the DWC’s SJDB frequently asked questions, read October 8, 2026.

How do you use the voucher?

The voucher form has a page for each kind of request, according to the DWC. Page two goes to the claims administrator when you use a counselor or school. Page three asks for the $500 miscellaneous advance or reimbursement, and page four asks for reimbursement of computer equipment, tuition, fees, books or tools, with receipts.

A school or counselor you give the voucher to can bill the claims administrator directly. If you pay yourself, the claims administrator must pay you within 45 calendar days after receiving the completed voucher, receipts and documentation (DWC SJDB answers; DWC guidebook, chapter 9).

When does the voucher expire?

The voucher expires two years after it is furnished to you or five years after the date of injury, whichever is later (Labor Code 4658.7(f)). Expenses must be incurred and submitted with documentation before that date to be paid.

The voucher cannot be settled or commuted to cash (4658.7(g)). And the employer is not liable for injuries that happen while you are using it (4658.7(i)).

What is the Return-to-Work Supplement?

The Return-to-Work Supplement Program (RTWSP) is a Department of Industrial Relations program funded at $120 million a year. For injuries on or after January 1, 2013, it makes supplemental payments to workers whose permanent disability benefits are disproportionately low compared with their earnings loss (Labor Code 139.48).

The DIR pays a one-time $5,000 supplement to a worker who received an SJDB voucher for the injury and applies on time. Its FAQ says the director may adjust the amount based on further studies.

How do you apply for the $5,000?

The application is online only, through the RTWSP application page. The RTWSP must receive it within one year from the date the SJDB voucher was served on you. Every DWC district office has a kiosk with a computer, scanner and printer for applicants without internet access.

The application asks for the entire voucher, including the proof of service on page 6, as a PDF or TIFF file, plus the case’s adjudication (ADJ) number and the claim number. The DIR decides within 60 days of receiving a completed application and pays within 25 days of an eligibility decision. A denial can be appealed within 20 days of receiving it, at any DWC district office (RTWSP answers). Questions go to RTWSP@dir.ca.gov or (510) 286-0787.

What if you and the claims administrator disagree about the voucher?

The DWC’s SJDB page sets out the route. A worker with an attorney raises it through the attorney. Without an attorney, a worker who already has a case at the local appeals board files a declaration of readiness to proceed to get a conference before a judge. A worker with no case first files an application for adjudication of claim, then the declaration. The DWC’s Information and Assistance (I&A) guides 4 and 5 explain both forms.

What do people get wrong about the voucher?

“It’s a $6,000 check.” Only the $500 miscellaneous amount is paid without receipts. The rest pays for the listed expenses.

“I’ll take it as cash in my settlement.” Labor Code 4658.7(g) does not allow the voucher to be settled.

“It never expires.” For injuries in 2013 or later it does, on the dates in 4658.7(f).

“The $5,000 comes automatically.” It takes an online application that the RTWSP receives within one year of the voucher’s service date.

Where does the Law Office of Jesse Melendrez fit in?

The voucher rules depend on when the claims administrator received form 10133.36, whether a job offer met the 12-month and wage terms, and when the voucher was served. When we represent an injured worker, tracking those dates and taking disputes to a judge is part of our work. Jesse Melendrez (State Bar of California #263751, admitted 2009) limits his practice to California workers’ compensation and represents injured workers only.

This page explains how these benefits work. It is not legal advice about your claim.

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What should you read next?

• The benefit page: SJDB voucher and return to work
• The disability that comes before the voucher: Permanent disability benefits and how a rating is calculated
• One of the doctors who can complete form 10133.36: What is a QME and what happens at the exam?
• How the rest of the case can close: Stipulations vs. Compromise and Release