Employer guilty of 132a violation. What does injured worker receive?

• A. 51% or greater
• B. 25%
• C. 75%
• D. 100%

Answer: (A)

When an employer violates California Labor Code 132a by discriminating against an employee for filing a workers’ compensation claim, the remedy is to make the employee whole through reinstatement and back pay for the wages they lost due to the violated conduct (along with any interest and applicable penalties). The key idea is to recover the wages lost during the period of discrimination, which is typically substantial. The option “51% or greater” lines up with capturing a major portion of the lost wages, reflecting that the employee should receive a significant amount of back pay. The other fixed percentages don’t match the nature of 132a relief, which is not a set small or full percentage but back pay for the actual wages lost and related remedies.