Division Four in Division Five of the Labor Code should be ______. _____ by the courts with the purposes of extending benefits for the protections of persons injured in the course of employment.

• A. Liberally construed
• B. Strictly construed
• C. Interpreted with caution
• D. Construed broadly

Answer: (A)

When a labor code provision is remedial and intended to extend protections to workers injured on the job, courts should liberally construe it to carry out that protective purpose. A liberal interpretation helps ensure that benefits aren’t denied over technicalities or ambiguous phrasing, especially in borderline cases where the injury is connected to employment. This approach favors coverage and aligns with the social justice aim of providing meaningful protection for workers. Strict or overly cautious readings could narrow who qualifies and defeat the statute’s intent, whereas interpreting provisions with a liberal lens broadens eligibility and serves the workers’ benefit.