WORK RELATED CANCER PRESUMPTION
This information was received from Mr. Gold Lee, Attorney at Law with Lewis, Marenstein, Wicke, Sherwin & Lee, LLP – http://www.lmwslaw.com/
The first amendment to the “Presumptions” to include cancer took effect in 1997. The Labor Code section 3212.1 (which specifically enumerates cancer as a presumptive injury) underwent minor language changes to the statute but at its core remained the same.
Most recently in 2012, through Senate Bill 863 another change took effect in which the cancer presumption was extended up to 10 years (versus the 5 years as previously interpreted by Courts). However, this is not just an automatic extension of 10 years. For each year the member was employed with conferred powers under Penal Code Sections 830.1; 830.2 or 830.3, the presumption is extended for 3 additional months following his/her last date worked in said capacity, not to exceed a total of 10 years following his/her last date worked.
FOR EXAMPLE … Divide the number of years by 4. So someone with 28 years of service will get the presumption extended by 7 years.
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Cancer Presumption
http://www.cpf.org/go/cpf/health-and-safety/firefighter-presumptions/cancer-presumption/
Labor Code ยง3212.1 (amended January 2012)
This section applies to all of the following:
(1) Active firefighting members, whether volunteers, partly paid, or fully paid, of all of the following fire departments:
(A) A fire department of a city, county, city and county, district, or other public or municipal corporation or political subdivision.
(B) A fire department of the University of California and the California State University.
(C) The Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
(D) A county forestry or firefighting department or unit.
(2) Active firefighting members of a fire department that serves a United States Department of Defense installation and who are certified by the Department of Defense as meeting its standards for firefighters.
(3) Active firefighting members of a fire department that serves a National Aeronautics and Space Administration installation and who adhere to training standards established in accordance with Article 4 (commencing with Section 13155) of Chapter 1 of Part 2 of Division 12 of the Health and Safety Code.
(4) Peace officers, as defined in Section 830.1, subdivision (a) of Section 830.2, and subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 830.37, of the Penal Code, who are primarily engaged in active law enforcement activities.
(5) (A) Fire and rescue services coordinators who work for the Office of Emergency Services.
(B) For purposes of this paragraph, “fire and rescue services coordinators” means coordinators with any of the following job classifications: coordinator, senior coordinator, or chief coordinator.
(b) The term “injury,” as used in this division, includes cancer, including leukemia, that develops or manifests itself during a period in which any member described in subdivision (a) is in the service of the department or unit, if the member demonstrates that he or she was exposed, while in the service of the department or unit, to a known carcinogen as defined by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, or as defined by the director.
(c) The compensation that is awarded for cancer shall include full hospital, surgical, medical treatment, disability indemnity, and death benefits, as provided by this division.
(d) The cancer so developing or manifesting itself in these cases shall be presumed to arise out of and in the course of the employment. This presumption is disputable and may be controverted by evidence that the primary site of the cancer has been established and that the carcinogen to which the member has demonstrated exposure is not reasonably linked to the disabling cancer. Unless so controverted, the appeals board is bound to find in accordance with the presumption. This presumption shall be extended to a member following termination of service for a period of three calendar months for each full year of the requisite service, but not to exceed 120 months in any circumstance, commencing with the last date actually worked in the specified capacity.
(e) The amendments to this section enacted during the 1999 portion of the 1999-2000 Regular Session shall be applied to claims for benefits filed or pending on or after January 1, 1997, including, but not limited to, claims for benefits filed on or after that date that have previously been denied, or that are being appealed following denial.
(f) This section shall be known, and may be cited, as the William Dallas Jones Cancer Presumption Act of 2010.