Title
Adoption of Resolution Relative to Workers' Compensation Benefits for Registered Disaster Service Worker Volunteers. (City Manager 2110)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jill Keimach, City Manager
Re: Adoption of a Resolution Regarding Workers' Compensation Benefits for Registered Disaster Service Workers Volunteers
BACKGROUND
This Resolution establishes that the City Council of the City of Alameda intends to follow the rules and regulations established by the California Office of Emergency Services (also known as the "California Emergency Management Agency"), pursuant to the provisions of Section 8585.5 of the California Government Code, which will provide state workers' compensation insurance coverage to registered volunteer "disaster service workers."
The State of California has established a Disaster Service Worker Volunteer Program ("DSWVP"). The purpose of this Program is to provide workers' compensation insurance coverage in the event a registered volunteer disaster service worker is injured while performing assigned disaster duties. This provides increased liability protection for the local jurisdiction.
Unless the local jurisdiction agrees to follow rules and regulations established by the Office of Emergency Services regarding registered volunteer disaster service workers, the use of volunteers during an emergency could expose the local jurisdiction to increased liability. A local jurisdiction, which agrees to and substantially follows the rules and regulations established, will be certified by the state as an "accredited disaster council" organization eligible to have its volunteer disaster services workers covered by state workers' compensation insurance. The Resolution of the City of Alameda is required to qualify the City for accreditation.
In 1947, the City of Alameda established the City of Alameda Disaster Council and approved Resolution No. 3470 relative to workers' compensat...
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