Workers' Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB)

The Workers' Compensation Appeals Board, a seven-member, judicial body appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate, exercises all judicial powers vested in it by the Labor Code. Its major functions include issuing judicial opinions in response to petitions for removal and reconsideration of decisions by workers' compensation administrative law judges, representing the WCAB in appellate proceedings, and regulation of the adjudication process by adopting rules of practice and procedure.  By way of its published opinions and regulations, it provides guidance and leadership to the workers' compensation community.

Notice: the WCAB emergency email box is no longer in operation.  Please direct all email to appropriate email addresses as follows: 

  • ControlUnit@dir.ca.gov (Processing petitions for reconsideration/removal and Reports, including inquiries about cases where no order by the Appeals Board has issued, where a petition for removal or reconsideration has been withdrawn, and/or where a settlement has been reached)
  • WCABgrantforstudy@dir.ca.gov (Cases pending on reconsideration with the Appeals Board, where an interim order by the Appeals Board has already issued)
  • WCABArbitration@dir.ca.gov (Cases pending on arbitration and for submission of documents)
  • WCABMediation@dir.ca.gov (Cases pending in mediation and for requests to mediate)
  • WCABWritUnit@dir.ca.gov (Pending writs and for service of writ documents)

No responses will be provided to emails about the merits of a pending case (see Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, § 10964), or challenging an interim order or a final decision by the Appeals Board (see Lab. Code, §§ 5900, et seq., and 5950, et seq.).

Where to file

Decisions