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California Labor Code §3551 — Required Notice of Claim Information
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By Eman Yazdchi, Esq. · Certified Specialist in Workers' Compensation Law, State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization · Cal Bar #285231
(a) Every employer subject to the compensation provisions of this code, except employers of employees defined in subdivision (d) of Section 3351, shall give every new employee, either at the time the employee is hired or by the end of the first pay period, written notice of the information contained in Section 3550.
What does California Labor Code section 3551 establish?
Section 3551 requires every California employer to give the worker a written notice of workers' compensation claim information at hire and after each new injury.
Section 3551 is California's rule requiring an employer to give every worker written notice of workers' compensation claim information, at hire and within one working day of learning about a new injury, explaining benefits, the claim form, and the right to a treating physician. Non-compliance opens defenses for the worker. Certified Specialist Eman Yazdchi (California Board of Legal Specialization, State Bar of California) raises 3551 issues.
California Labor Code section 3551 requires the California employer to provide each new employee at the time of hire, and each injured worker after an industrial injury, with individualized written notice of workers' compensation rights, the claim-filing process, the §4616 medical-provider-network (MPN) rules where applicable, the right to file a comp claim under §3600, and the prohibition on retaliation under §132a. The section 3551 notice is in addition to the California Labor Code section 3550, the workplace-poster duty, and is delivered directly to the individual employee. The section 3551 rule ensures every worker has personal notice of comp rights at the two most important moments, hire and injury.
What must the section 3551 California new-hire notice actually contain?
The new-hire notice must explain the worker's right to benefits, the carrier's identity, and the worker's right to a treating physician.
Under California Labor Code section 3551, the California new-hire notice must contain: the identity of the California employer's workers' compensation insurance carrier and contact information; the California employee's right to file a workers' compensation claim under California Labor Code §3600 California for industrial injuries; the California employee's right to medical treatment under California Labor Code §4600 California; the California employer's California Labor Code §4616 California medical-provider-network (MPN) information including how to access the MPN and how to predesignate a personal physician; the California State Information and Assistance Officer contact information; and the prohibition on retaliation under California Labor Code §132a California. The section 3551 California notice is typically delivered as part of the new-hire onboarding packet.
What must the section 3551 California injury notice actually contain?
The injury notice must arrive within one working day of the employer learning about the injury and include the claim form and benefit information.
Under California Labor Code section 3551, when an industrial injury occurs and the California employer has knowledge of it, the employer must provide the California injured worker with the section 3551 California injury notice within one working day. The notice must include: the DWC-1 claim form (which starts the California Labor Code §5402 California 90-day presumption-of-acceptance clock); information about how to access medical treatment through the California Labor Code §4616 California MPN or through a predesignated personal physician; the rights to California Labor Code §4653 California temporary disability if the worker is unable to work; and the contact information for the California State Information and Assistance Officer for free claims help.
How does section 3551 California interact with §5402 90-day presumption?
The notice rule interacts with the ninety-day employer knowledge presumption that pins the carrier with knowledge once a supervisor is told.
Under California Labor Code section 3551, California Labor Code §5402(b) (90-day presumption of acceptance), and California Labor Code §5402(c) (insurer investigation period), the California claim-acceptance framework is tied closely to the section 3551 California notice. The section 3551 California rule requires the employer to deliver the DWC-1 claim form to the injured worker within one working day of knowledge of injury; the worker completes and returns the form; this starts the California Labor Code §5402 California 90-day clock during which the insurer must accept or deny. Failure to comply with the section 3551 notice can delay the California Labor Code §5402 California clock and create evidentiary problems.
How does section 3551 California interact with section 3550 poster and §5400 30-day notice?
The notice works alongside the workplace-posting rule and the thirty-day worker-notice rule as overlapping protections for injured workers.
Under California Labor Code section 3551 (individual notice), California Labor Code section 3550 (workplace poster), and California Labor Code §5400 (employee 30-day notice to employer), the California notice framework stacks at multiple points. Section 3550 California posts general comp rights in the workplace; section 3551 California delivers individualized notice at hire and at the moment of injury; and California Labor Code §5400 California then requires the California injured worker to give the employer 30-day written notice of an industrial injury or risk forfeiting the claim. The three California sections together create a two-way notice system where the employer informs the worker, and the worker is required to give notice back.
Related on yazdchilaw.com: California workers' compensation lawyer pillar · California Labor Code §5400.30 explained · California Labor Code §3700.6 explained · what to do if you can't go back to work after a workers' comp injury.
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Tap to call →Frequently Asked Questions
What does California Labor Code section 3551 actually establish for individual employee notice?
California Labor Code section 3551 requires the California employer to provide each new employee at the time of hire, and each injured worker after an industrial injury, with individualized written notice of workers' compensation rights, the claim-filing process, the California Labor Code §4616 California medical-provider-network (MPN) rules where applicable, the right to file a comp claim under California Labor Code §3600 California, and the prohibition on retaliation under California Labor Code §132a California. The section 3551 California notice is in addition to the California Labor Code section 3550 workplace poster and is delivered directly to the individual employee, not just posted in the workplace.
What must the section 3551 California new-hire notice actually contain?
Under California Labor Code section 3551, the California new-hire notice must contain: the identity of the California employer's workers' compensation insurance carrier and contact information; the California employee's right to file a workers' compensation claim under California Labor Code §3600 California for industrial injuries; the California employee's right to medical treatment under California Labor Code §4600 California; the California employer's California Labor Code §4616 California medical-provider-network (MPN) information including how to access the MPN and how to predesignate a personal physician; the California State Information and Assistance Officer contact information; and the prohibition on retaliation under California Labor Code §132a California.
What must the section 3551 California injury notice actually contain?
Under California Labor Code section 3551, when an industrial injury occurs and the California employer has knowledge of it, the employer must provide the California injured worker with the section 3551 California injury notice within one working day. The notice must include: the DWC-1 claim form (which starts the California Labor Code §5402 California 90-day presumption-of-acceptance clock); information about how to access medical treatment through the California Labor Code §4616 California MPN or through a predesignated personal physician; the rights to California Labor Code §4653 California temporary disability if the worker is unable to work; and the contact information for the California State I&A Officer.
How does section 3551 California interact with §5402 90-day presumption?
Under California Labor Code section 3551, California Labor Code §5402(b) (90-day presumption of acceptance), and California Labor Code §5402(c) (insurer investigation period), the California claim-acceptance framework is tied closely to the section 3551 California notice. The section 3551 California rule requires the employer to deliver the DWC-1 claim form to the injured worker within one working day of knowledge of injury; the worker completes and returns the form; this starts the California Labor Code §5402 California 90-day clock during which the insurer must accept or deny. Failure to comply with section 3551 notice can delay the California Labor Code §5402 California clock.
How does section 3551 California interact with section 3550 poster and §5400 30-day notice?
Under California Labor Code section 3551 (individual notice), California Labor Code section 3550 (workplace poster), and California Labor Code §5400 (employee 30-day notice to employer), the California notice framework stacks at multiple points. Section 3550 California posts general comp rights in the workplace; section 3551 California delivers individualized notice at hire and at the moment of injury; and California Labor Code §5400 California then requires the worker to give the employer 30-day written notice of an industrial injury or risk forfeiting the claim. The three sections together create a two-way notice system.
Last reviewed by Eman Yazdchi, Esq., June 2026.
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