My Favorite Labor Code Section

ROBERT G. RASSP, ESQ.

Sherman Oaks, California

A number of years ago a colleague of mine visited me at my vacation home. In fact, he and his wife visited us there every six months for 15 years. In any event, on a glorious 4th of July weekend, we were sitting on our balcony overlooking the National Forest, and in the midst of too many scotches, I asked him if he knows that there is a Labor Code section that says prior decisions of WCAB panels are admissible on similar issues. That question sparked an argument. After all, what are friends for?

My friend then asked if I had my Labor Code at the house. I said "Yes," and I asked him if he had actually brought his copy on his vacation, and of course he also said "Yes." Who among us brings our Labor Code with us while on vacation? In any event, we stumbled downstairs, with me running down to my office and he making his way to the guest room to each retrieve our respective copies of the "Blue Book," aka Workers’ Compensation Laws of California (LexisNexis). As if his copy were different from mine. I then opened my book to Labor Code section 5703, my favorite Labor Code section, and read it to him as follows: