Ventura County Grand Jury
• 2025-2026
Setting the Record Straignt on Presumptive Workers' Compensation Claims
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings 10 findings
F01
The Ventura County Civil Grand Jury finds that the California Labor Codes for workers’ compensation presumptive claims are complex, convoluted and lead to confusion.
F02
The Ventura County Civil Grand Jury finds that safety workers of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and Ventura County Fire Department each encounters unique stressors and occupational hazards that can lead to injury or illness.
F03
The Ventura County Civil Grand Jury finds that the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Human Resources department has limited expertise in presumptive workers’ compensation claims administration.
F04
The Ventura County Civil Grand Jury finds that workers’ compensation education for deputy sheriffs relating to presumptive claims is insufficient to ensure understanding of their rights and responsibilities.
F05
The Ventura County Civil Grand Jury finds that the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Human Resources department lacks a knowledgeable advocate to guide and aid deputy sheriffs through the presumptive workers’ compensation process.
F06
The Ventura County Civil Grand Jury finds that the California Division of Workers’ Compensation provides advocates for workers’ compensation claimants through their Information and Assistance Unit. However, this resource is underused by claimants despite contact information provided regularly by claims administrators.
F07
The Ventura County Civil Grand Jury finds there has been recent increased communication between the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and Ventura County Risk Management but finds that productive communication and collaboration on workers’ compensation issues still need to be improved.
F08
The Ventura County Civil Grand Jury finds that the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office does not have an early intervention program to diagnose the development of cancer and other diseases in deputy sheriffs.
F09
The Ventura County Civil Grand Jury finds that there are opportunities to develop more fully satisfying and relevant “light duty” programs that would benefit the Sheriff’s Office and better prepare the recovering deputies for return to regular duty.
F10
The Ventura County Civil Grand Jury finds that despite serious concerns regarding the costs of Ventura County Sheriff’s Office workers’ compensation leaves of absence, these costs have never been audited. Setting the Record Straight on Presumptive Workers’ Compensation Claims Setting the Record Straight on Presumptive Workers’ Compensation Claims RECOMMENDATIONS
Recommendations 10
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R01The Ventura County Civil Grand Jury recommends that the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and County Risk Management executives formalize a collaborative partnership through regular communications, aiming to better support deputy sheriffs with workers’ compensation illnesses or injuries and address shared challenges in workers’ compensation claims, by December 31, 2026. (F-01, F-02, F-06, F-07)
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R02The Ventura County Civil Grand Jury recommends that the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and County Risk Management establish a process to assess and resolve challenges related to presumptive claims, and develop actionable solutions to improve outcomes, by October 31, 2026. (F-01, F-02, F-06)
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R03The Ventura County Civil Grand Jury recommends that Ventura County Risk Management and the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office coordinate training on workers’ compensation regulations for the Sheriff’s Human Resources staff, supervisors, and personnel who interact with deputy sheriffs’ filing claims, by October 31, 2026. (F-01, F- 02, F-03)
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R04The Ventura County Civil Grand Jury recommends proactively educating all deputy sheriffs on presumptive workers’ compensation, including the deputies’ specific responsibilities during the claims and treatment process. It is recommended that this training takes place within three years of first employment, but after their initial academy and on-the-job training, with plans to be completed by December 31, 2026. (F-01, F-02,
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R05The Ventura County Civil Grand Jury recommends that the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office implement an advocacy-based workers’ compensation program, featuring designated trained personnel to assist injured or ill deputy sheriffs through the entire claims and treatment processes, by December 31, 2026. (F-01, F-05)
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R06The Ventura County Civil Grand Jury recommends the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and the Ventura County Fire Department contact and meet with officers of the California State Division of Workers’ Compensation Information and Assistance Unit in Ventura County to better understand the services the unit provides, and then communicate information about this resource to their employees, by October 31, 2026. (F-06)
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R07The Ventura County Civil Grand Jury recommends that Ventura County Sheriff’s Office adopt preventative health programs for deputy sheriffs, including comprehensive annual physicals and emotional wellness programs – similar to initiatives established by the Ventura County Fire Department, by December 31, 2026. (F-02, F-08)
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R08The Ventura County Civil Grand Jury recommends strengthening the “light duty” program through development of a diverse portfolio of productive “light duty” assignments to improve employee engagement and program value, by December 31, 2026. (F-09) -2026 Ventura County Civil Grand Jury
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R09The Ventura County Civil Grand Jury recommends that the Ventura County Controller- Auditor conduct an audit of Ventura County Sheriff’s Office deputy sheriffs’ leave of absence costs, by December 31, 2026. (F-10)
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R10The Ventura County Civil Grand Jury recommends that the Board of Supervisors, Risk Management and Human Resources petition state representatives to resolve inconsistencies between the California Labor Code’s 75-day investigation deadline with the 120-plus days allotted for a Qualified Medical Evaluator to complete their examination and report, by December 31, 2026. (F-01) RESPONSES Responses required from: The following governing body : Ventura County Board of Supervisors (F-01, F-02, F-10, R-09, R-10) The following elected officer : Ventura County Sheriff (F-01, F-02, F-03, F-04, F-05, F-06, F-07, F-08, F-09, F-10, R-02, R-03,