In California SIP, if the injury involves an employee under 16 who was illegally employed at the time of injury, by what percent is the compensation otherwise recoverable increased?

• A. 10 percent
• B. 50 percent
• C. 25 percent
• D. 0 percent

Answer: (B)

When a worker under 16 is injured and the employer illegally employed them at the time of injury, California law adds a penalty to the indemnity by increasing the compensation otherwise recoverable by 50 percent. This means the worker’s regular benefits are boosted to 1.5 times what they would normally receive, reinforcing the deterrent against illegal child labor. For example, if the standard weekly indemnity would be $200, it becomes $300 with the 50% increase. This rule applies only in the illegal-minor-employment scenario; otherwise, the standard benefits apply.