In this guide10 sections
The Supplemental Job Displacement Benefit (SJDB) is a voucher worth up to $6,000 that injured California workers can use for retraining, certifications, tools and related costs. For injuries on or after January 1, 2013, you qualify if your work injury left you with a permanent partial disability and your employer doesn’t offer qualifying regular, modified or alternative work within 60 days after the claims administrator receives your doctor’s permanent and stationary report. Voucher recipients can also apply for a separate one-time $5,000 Return-to-Work Supplement.
Key takeaways
- For injuries on or after January 1, 2013, the voucher is a flat $6,000, regardless of your disability rating (Labor Code §4658.7).
- A job offer only defeats the voucher if it is made within the 60-day window, is expected to last at least 12 months and meets the pay and commuting rules in Labor Code §4658.1.
- Training must be at a California public school or a provider on the state’s Eligible Training Provider List.
- The voucher expires two years after it is issued or five years after your injury, whichever is later, and it can’t be cashed out in a settlement.
- Apply for the $5,000 Return-to-Work Supplement within one year of the date the voucher was served on you.
Who qualifies for the voucher
For injuries on or after January 1, 2013, you’re generally entitled to the SJDB voucher if all of these are true:
- Your injury is covered by California workers’ comp.
- A treating physician, qualified medical evaluator or agreed medical evaluator finds you permanent and stationary with a permanent partial disability.
- Your employer doesn’t make a qualifying offer of regular, modified or alternative work within 60 days after the claims administrator receives that report.
If those conditions are met, the claims administrator must give you the voucher within 20 days after the 60-day offer period ends. The DWC’s SJDB page summarizes the rules for each injury period.
What counts as a qualifying job offer
Your employer can avoid the voucher only with an offer that meets the statute’s requirements. Under Labor Code §4658.1:
| Type of work | What it must be | Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Regular work | Your usual occupation or the job you held when injured | Equivalent to your pre-injury wages and compensation |
| Modified work | Your regular job, changed so you can perform all of its functions | At least 85% of your pre-injury wages and compensation |
| Alternative work | Any other work you can perform | At least 85% of your pre-injury wages and compensation |
For all three, the job must be within a reasonable commuting distance of where you lived when you were injured, and under §4658.7 it must last at least 12 months. If you accept a job and don’t object to the commute within 20 days after being told of your right to object, the commuting requirement is treated as waived.
An offer that ignores your permanent work restrictions, pays too little, is temporary or comes too late generally doesn’t defeat your voucher. Your treating doctor’s Physician’s Return-to-Work & Voucher Report (form DWC-AD 10133.36) describes your work capacities and is the starting point for judging whether an offer fits.
How you can use the $6,000
The regulation that governs vouchers for 2013 and later injuries, 8 CCR §10133.31, lets you choose among these uses:
| Use | Limit |
|---|---|
| Tuition, fees, books and required supplies at a California public school or a provider on the state’s Eligible Training Provider List | Up to the voucher total |
| Occupational license or professional certification fees, exam fees and exam prep courses | Up to the voucher total |
| Placement agency services, vocational or return-to-work counseling and résumé preparation | $600 combined (10% of the voucher) |
| Tools required by a training or education program you’re enrolled in | Up to the voucher total |
| Computer equipment | Up to $1,000 |
| Miscellaneous expenses, paid on request without itemized receipts | Up to $500 |
The voucher can’t be used for transportation, travel, phone or internet service, clothing or uniforms, or other incidental expenses beyond the $500 miscellaneous amount. The claims administrator must pay within 45 calendar days of receiving the completed voucher and documentation. Keep copies of everything you submit.
Key deadlines
| Step | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Employer’s qualifying job offer | Within 60 days after the claims administrator receives the P&S report |
| Voucher issued to you | Within 20 days after the 60-day offer period ends |
| Using the voucher | Expires 2 years after it is issued or 5 years after the date of injury, whichever is later |
| Return-to-Work Supplement application | Within 1 year from the date the voucher was served on you |
The $5,000 Return-to-Work Supplement
If your injury was on or after January 1, 2013 and you received an SJDB voucher, you may also be eligible for a one-time $5,000 payment through the state’s Return-to-Work Supplement Program. It is separate from the voucher, and you don’t have to spend the voucher to qualify. You apply online with the complete voucher, including its proof of service page, your workers’ comp claim number and your case (ADJ) number. The program says it decides eligibility within 60 days of a completed application and pays within 25 days of approval.
Hypothetical example: Miguel, a delivery driver, injures his back lifting packages in 2024. His doctor finds him permanent and stationary with a permanent restriction against lifting more than 20 pounds. His employer doesn’t offer any job within 60 days, so the insurer issues a $6,000 voucher. Miguel enrolls in a medical billing certificate program at a community college, uses the voucher for tuition and books, $1,000 for a laptop and the $500 miscellaneous allowance, and applies for the $5,000 supplement within a year of receiving the voucher.
Injuries before 2013
For injuries from January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2012, the rules were different. The voucher ranged from $4,000 to $10,000 depending on the level of permanent disability, and vouchers issued before January 1, 2013 don’t expire. If your injury falls in that period, check the DWC’s rules for your date of injury. Injuries before 2004 fell under California’s older vocational rehabilitation system; see vocational rehabilitation benefits.
Steps to get your voucher
- Get your P&S report and the return-to-work and voucher report, and check that your restrictions are accurate.
- Mark the 60-day window from when the claims administrator received the report.
- Review any job offer in writing against your restrictions, the pay rules and the 12-month duration.
- Follow up if no voucher arrives about 20 days after the window closes. Free help is available from a DWC Information and Assistance officer at 1-800-736-7401.
- Choose an eligible program on the Eligible Training Provider List or at a California public school before you pay anything.
- Apply for the $5,000 supplement right away; the one-year clock starts when the voucher is served.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get the $6,000 in cash instead?
No. For injuries on or after January 1, 2013, the voucher can’t be settled or commuted into a lump sum. Only the $500 miscellaneous allowance is paid without itemized receipts.
Does the voucher reduce my permanent disability payments?
No. The voucher is a separate benefit from permanent disability. You can receive both, along with the $5,000 supplement if you qualify. See how TD and PD benefits work.
Can I use the voucher at a private trade school?
Only if the school is on the state’s Eligible Training Provider List. California public schools, such as community colleges, also qualify.
What if my employer offers me a job I can’t physically do?
An offer has to fit your work restrictions and meet the pay, duration and commuting rules to defeat the voucher. Put your concerns in writing and get advice before you accept or reject it.
What happens to my voucher if I settle my case?
Because the voucher can’t be settled or commuted, a settlement doesn’t cash it out. Before you settle, confirm whether the voucher has been issued. See should I accept my workers’ comp settlement offer?
Talk to a California workers’ comp lawyer
Employees First Labor Law represents workers exclusively, including injured workers in California workers’ comp cases. We offer free virtual consultations to review your job offer, your voucher and your deadlines. Contact us online or call (310) 853-3461.
This article is general information about California law as of 2026, not legal advice for your situation. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship.
