What is the primary function of the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board in California?

• A. Issue medical treatment guidelines
• B. Determine wage replacement amounts
• C. Hear and decide disputes related to workers' comp claims
• D. Enforce penalties

Answer: (C)

Hearing and deciding disputes related to workers' compensation claims is the primary function of the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board. It serves as the appellate body for decisions issued by workers’ compensation judges, reviews the record, may hold hearings, and issues decisions that affirm, modify, or reverse the judge’s rulings. Those decisions resolve issues such as entitlement to benefits and medical treatment, shaping how the law is applied in California's workers’ compensation system. Medical treatment guidelines are set by the Medical Treatment Utilization Schedule and the Division of Workers’ Compensation, not by the Appeals Board. Wage replacement amounts and penalties are part of the adjudication process and enforcement pathways, with the board reviewing or enforcing as part of its role, but its main purpose is to hear and decide disputes.