To petition for a change of employee selected physician, the petition is filed with which office?

• A. Workers' Compensation Appeals Board
• B. The director of Industrial Relations
• C. The Administrative Director
• D. The Industrial Medical Council

Answer: (C)

The Administrative Director is the office that handles petitions to change the physician chosen by the employee. In California workers’ compensation, the employee can select a treating physician, but if there’s a need to switch, the petition goes to the Administrative Director of the Division of Workers’ Compensation. The Administrative Director has the authority to review and approve or deny changes in medical care and to appoint or direct a new physician if warranted. The other offices serve different roles: the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board handles appeals of decisions, the director of Industrial Relations is not the filing point for this petition, and the Industrial Medical Council is an advisory body, not the authority to process physician-change petitions.