San Francisco, CA – Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) Acting Administrative Director Destie Overpeck has appointed Kenneth Peterson to serve as a member of the Workers’ Compensation Ethics Advisory Committee. Peterson served as the presiding judge for DWC’s Oakland office before his retirement in 2009. He will fill the position designated to be held by an attorney who formerly practiced before the Worker’s Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) and who usually represented applicants. The appointment is effective July 1.
The ethics advisory committee, established in 1995 by Title 8, California Code of Regulations, section 9722, reviews all complaints from the public which allege that workers’ compensation administrative law judges have violated provisions of the California Code of Judicial Ethics.
After its review of complaints, the committee makes recommendations to the administrative director and the DWC court administrator. The committee reviews all complaints anonymously and does not learn the names of either the complainant or the judge complained against. The committee meets quarterly and members serve without compensation.
The regulation provides that the committee mix include: a member of the public representing organized labor; a member of the public representing insurers; a member of the public representing self-insured employers; an attorney who formerly practiced before the WCABand who usually represented insurers or employers; an attorney who formerly practiced before the WCABand who usually represented applicants; a presiding judge; a workers’ compensation administrative law judge (WCALJ) or retired WCALJ; and two members of the public outside the workers’ compensation community.
A judicial ethics complaint form (PDF) and instructions can be found on the DWC forms page.
Source: CA DWC