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✦ Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation Law — Certified by the State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization ✦
Serving injured workers across California. Board-certified specialist; no fee unless we win.
By Eman Yazdchi, Esq. · Certified Specialist in Workers' Compensation Law, State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization
In California, Labor Code §4658.7 provides a Supplemental Job Displacement Benefit (SJDB) voucher worth up to $6,000 for retraining, when a workers' compensation injury leaves the worker unable to return to the pre-injury job. Yazdchi Law, a Certified Specialist in Workers' Compensation Law firm, handles California §4658.7 voucher claims statewide. Request a free case review.
Under California Labor Code §4658.7, the Supplemental Job Displacement Benefit (SJDB) is a $6,000 voucher a California injured worker can use for tuition at a state-approved school, occupational licensing or certification fees, vocational testing, computer equipment (up to $1,000), and a small expense allowance. The voucher is in addition to permanent disability indemnity under California Labor Code §4660 and supports the worker's return to the labor market in a new line of work when the pre-injury job is no longer feasible.
Under California Labor Code §4658.7, a California injured worker qualifies for the SJDB voucher when: the injury has resulted in permanent partial disability; the employer has not offered modified or alternative work meeting the worker's permanent restrictions within 60 days of the worker reaching permanent and stationary status; and the offer (or lack of it) is documented through a Notice of Offer of Regular, Modified, or Alternative Work (Form DWC-AD 10133.35).
Under California Labor Code §4658.7, the SJDB voucher can be spent on: tuition, fees, books, and required tools at a California state-approved school; occupational licensing or certification fees; vocational and return-to-work counseling (up to 10% of the voucher); computer equipment (up to $1,000); and a small expense allowance. The voucher cannot be exchanged for cash. The school or training program must be on the approved list maintained by the California Department of Industrial Relations.
Under California Labor Code §4658.7, the SJDB voucher must be issued by the California insurer within 20 days after the expiration of the 60-day offer window — that is, when the employer has failed to offer modified or alternative work within 60 days of the worker reaching permanent and stationary status under California Labor Code §4660. The voucher has a 2-year expiration from issuance; the worker must enroll in an approved training program within that window or forfeit the voucher's value.
The §4658.7 voucher is a separate benefit from the permanent disability indemnity under California Labor Code §4660. A Compromise & Release lump-sum settlement typically includes a separate line for the SJDB voucher value (often the full $6,000), which the parties can resolve by issuing the voucher itself or by including a stated cash amount in the C&R. Taking cash in lieu of the voucher means the money is reportable income, while the voucher used for training is not.
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Tap to call →Last reviewed by Eman Yazdchi, Esq., May 2026.
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