SB-632
Labor & Employment

Workers’ compensation: hospital employees.

Introduced
CA
2025-2026 Regular Session
0
0
Track

Key Takeaways

  • Expands workers' compensation coverage for hospital employees to include infectious diseases and cancer.
  • Creates automatic eligibility for healthcare workers who develop PTSD, respiratory, or musculoskeletal injuries.
  • Extends benefits coverage for up to 10 years after employment ends for certain conditions.
  • Establishes that injuries are presumed work-related unless employers prove otherwise.

Summary

Senator Arreguín's workers' compensation legislation establishes new presumptions of work-related injury for hospital employees providing direct patient care in acute care settings. The bill expands coverage to include infectious diseases, certain cancers, musculoskeletal injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder, and respiratory conditions that develop during employment.

The measure creates rebuttable presumptions that these conditions arise from workplace exposure, with varying post-employment coverage periods. For infectious diseases except MRSA, the presumption extends three months per year worked, up to 60 months after leaving employment. Cancer presumptions extend up to 120 months post-employment, while post-traumatic stress disorder coverage continues up to 36 months. The bill defines specific qualifying conditions within each category, including COVID-19 under both infectious and respiratory diseases.

For hospital employees to qualify, conditions must manifest during their employment period and cannot be attributed to pre-existing conditions. The bill provides full workers' compensation benefits including medical treatment, disability payments, and death benefits for covered conditions. While employers may present evidence to challenge individual claims, the presumption remains unless specifically rebutted through documentation that the condition arose from non-workplace causes.

Key Dates

Next Step
Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
Next Step
Senate Committee
Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
Hearing has not been scheduled yet
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement Hearing
Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement Hearing
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
Senate Floor
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Contacts

Profile
Anna CaballeroD
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Tim GraysonD
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Megan DahleR
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Kelly SeyartoR
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Aisha WahabD
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
0 of 8 row(s) selected.
Page 1 of 2
Select All Legislators
Profile
Anna CaballeroD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Tim GraysonD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Megan DahleR
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Kelly SeyartoR
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Aisha WahabD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Jesse ArreguinD
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Christopher CabaldonD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Laura RichardsonD
Senator
Committee Member

Similar Past Legislation

Bill NumberTitleIntroduced DateStatusLink to Bill
AB-1156
Workers’ compensation: hospital employees.
February 2023
Failed
Workers’ compensation: hospital employees.
January 2021
Failed
Workers’ compensation: hospital employees.
January 2020
Failed
Workers’ compensation: hospital employees.
February 2019
Failed
Showing 4 of 4 items
Page 1 of 1

Get Involved

Act Now!

Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

Introduced By

Jesse Arreguin
Jesse ArreguinD
California State Senator
10% progression
Bill has been formally introduced and read for the first time in its house of origin (2/20/2025)

Latest Voting History

May 23, 2025
PASS
Senate Committee
Senate Appropriations Hearing
AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
5117PASS

Key Takeaways

  • Expands workers' compensation coverage for hospital employees to include infectious diseases and cancer.
  • Creates automatic eligibility for healthcare workers who develop PTSD, respiratory, or musculoskeletal injuries.
  • Extends benefits coverage for up to 10 years after employment ends for certain conditions.
  • Establishes that injuries are presumed work-related unless employers prove otherwise.

Get Involved

Act Now!

Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

Introduced By

Jesse Arreguin
Jesse ArreguinD
California State Senator

Summary

Senator Arreguín's workers' compensation legislation establishes new presumptions of work-related injury for hospital employees providing direct patient care in acute care settings. The bill expands coverage to include infectious diseases, certain cancers, musculoskeletal injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder, and respiratory conditions that develop during employment.

The measure creates rebuttable presumptions that these conditions arise from workplace exposure, with varying post-employment coverage periods. For infectious diseases except MRSA, the presumption extends three months per year worked, up to 60 months after leaving employment. Cancer presumptions extend up to 120 months post-employment, while post-traumatic stress disorder coverage continues up to 36 months. The bill defines specific qualifying conditions within each category, including COVID-19 under both infectious and respiratory diseases.

For hospital employees to qualify, conditions must manifest during their employment period and cannot be attributed to pre-existing conditions. The bill provides full workers' compensation benefits including medical treatment, disability payments, and death benefits for covered conditions. While employers may present evidence to challenge individual claims, the presumption remains unless specifically rebutted through documentation that the condition arose from non-workplace causes.

10% progression
Bill has been formally introduced and read for the first time in its house of origin (2/20/2025)

Key Dates

Next Step
Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
Next Step
Senate Committee
Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
Hearing has not been scheduled yet
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement Hearing
Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement Hearing
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
Senate Floor
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Latest Voting History

May 23, 2025
PASS
Senate Committee
Senate Appropriations Hearing
AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
5117PASS

Contacts

Profile
Anna CaballeroD
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Tim GraysonD
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Megan DahleR
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Kelly SeyartoR
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Aisha WahabD
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
0 of 8 row(s) selected.
Page 1 of 2
Select All Legislators
Profile
Anna CaballeroD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Tim GraysonD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Megan DahleR
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Kelly SeyartoR
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Aisha WahabD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Jesse ArreguinD
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Christopher CabaldonD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Laura RichardsonD
Senator
Committee Member

Similar Past Legislation

Bill NumberTitleIntroduced DateStatusLink to Bill
AB-1156
Workers’ compensation: hospital employees.
February 2023
Failed
Workers’ compensation: hospital employees.
January 2021
Failed
Workers’ compensation: hospital employees.
January 2020
Failed
Workers’ compensation: hospital employees.
February 2019
Failed
Showing 4 of 4 items
Page 1 of 1