Disability Leave

There is some question about the type of leave I will be taking from work in the next couple months. Apparently there are at least two different categories. As best as I can figure, my options are:

• SDL = State Disability Leave. Covers one-third of salary. Paid through normal health insurance
• IDL = Industrial Disability Leave. Covers two-thirds of salary. Paid through Workers Compensation Insurance.

Obviously getting two-thirds sounds better, but I'm not sure if I qualify since my injury was merely aggravated -- not necessarily caused -- from work. Apparently Dr. Nelson is in the WorkComp network as Dr. Serocki has referred me for surgery. This afternoon, I am to have Dr. Nelson send his notes/recommendation to my adjuster Celia Perez in Riverside (FAX: 951-697-7301). Then a panel of State Compensation Insurance Fund (SCIF) doctors have five days to conduct a Utilization Review (UR) to determine whether my surgery will be covered by WorkComp.

So, we're kind of down to the last minute here, but I don't think it will affect my surgery date. It's just to determine how my time off will be handled, I think. Either way I'm on paper timesheets and I'll have to use sick leave and/or vacation to make up the difference if I want to continue receiving my full salary during this time off.

As a side note: I feel a bit like a hot potato or second class citizen the way the SCIF adjusters have shuffled my case around and never respond to repeated voice mails. I've gone from Melissa Lara (951-697-7324) to Ellen Ferguson (951-697-6385) to now Celia Perez (951-697-7387). They are really, really bad about returning phone calls, although I was miraculously able to speak with Melissa this morning -- she actually answered the phone!