New Mileage Rate Increase as of July 1, 2011
I’m sure you’ve seen/heard this already, but a friendly reminder never hurts.
As of July 1, 2011, the mileage reimbursement rate for medical treatment and medical-legal evaluations went up to 55 cents (from 51 cents). Labor Code § 4600 (e)(2) requires the reimbursement of an injured worker’s reasonable expenses of transportation. This is usually simple mileage for driving to and from appointments, but can also include flights and driving services.
The mileage rate is set by the Director of the Department of Personnel Administration, pursuant to Government Code § 19820. Generally, this tracks the rate set by the Internal Revenue Service, which announced on June 23, 2011, the increase to 55 cents.
This is a relatively minor difference, but it cause a headache to deal with and give applicants more grounds to perceive themselves as wronged, especially when considering the potential for 25% penalties under Labor Code § 5814.