The mileage rate that workers’ comp claims administrators pay injured workers for travel related to medical treatment or evaluation of their injuries will remain at 55.5¢ per mile for travel on or after January 1, 2012, regardless of the date of injury.

California Labor Code §4600 (e)(2), in conjunction with Government Code §19820 and Department of Personnel Administration regulations, requires workers’ compensation claims administrators to reimburse injured workers for medical mileage at the rate adopted by the Director of the Department of Personnel Administration for non-represented (excluded) state employees, which is tied to the IRS published mileage rate. The IRS normally adjusts the standard mileage rate each fall for the next calendar year based on an annual study of the fixed and variable costs of operating an automobile, but the IRS announced this week that following the mid-year adjustment that bumped the rate to 55.5¢ mile for travel on or after July 1, 2011, no additional adjustment will be necessary for travel on or after January 1, 2012. The California Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) has downloadable mileage-expense forms that show the applicable rates based on the travel date on its website, www.dir.ca.gov/dwc/forms.html and because there will be no change in the rate for travel on or after January 1, 2012, claims administrators should continue to use the Medical Mileage Expense Form in English/Spanish for travel on or after 7/1/11, which is already posted on the DWC site.

The IRS announcement on the 2012 business mileage rate is posted in the agency’s online newsroom at online at http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=250882,00.html