Workers' Compensation is a no-fault insurance program designed to help injured workers and protect their employers at the same time. But in California, employers- insurance premiums are sky high while workers- benefits are below the national average. Governor Schwarzenegger says he-s willing to make a deal, but says he'll go back to the ballot if Democrats don-t finalize it this week. That could pit doctors, lawyers and workers against insurance firms and employers in a $40-million political campaign with an uncertain outcome that one columnist has dubbed -a three-dimensional chess game with huge stakes.- We hear what-s at stake from Democratic Senator Richard Alarc-n, Bill Hauck of the California Business Roundtable and Dan Weintraub of the Sacramento Bee.
- Making News: Immigration Agents Arrested for Operating Smuggling Ring
Mexico has broken up one of the largest immigrant-smuggling rings ever discovered. Some 42 current and former government employees are under arrest, including seven local police officers and 26 agents of the National Immigration Institute, the same agency assigned to protect immigrants. Jorge Bustamante is a professor of sociology at Notre Dame University and a correspondent for Mexico at an international organization dealing with immigrations.
Governor Schwarzenegger's Workers' Compensation Reform proposal
California Division of Workers' Compensation
State Compensation Insurance Fund
California Competitiveness Project
Alarc-n's bill on workers' comp rates (SBX4 8)
Alarc-n's bill on workers' comp (SBX4 9)
Health care coverage (SB 2, 2002)
Sacramento Bee article on possible workers' comp deal
