§ 9792.14. Liability for Penalty Assessments.

(a) If more than one claims administrator or utilization review organization has been responsible for a claim file, utilization review file or other file that is being investigated, penalties may be assessed against each such entity for the violation(s) that occurred during the time each such entity had responsibility for the file or for the utilization review process.

(b) The claims administrator or utilization review organization is liable for all penalty assessments made against it, except that if the subject of the investigation is acting as an agent, the agent and the principal are jointly and severally liable for all penalty assessments resulting from a given investigation. This paragraph does not prohibit an agent and its principal from allocating the administrative penalty liability between them. Liability for civil penalties assessed pursuant to Labor Code section 129.5(e) for violations under Labor Code section 4610 or sections 9792.6 through 9792.10 of Title 8 of the California Code of Regulations shall not be allocated.

(c) Successor liability may be imposed on a claims administrator or utilization review organization that has merged with, consolidated, or otherwise continued the business of a corporation, other business entity or other person that was cited by the Administrative Director for violations of Labor Code section 4610 or sections 9792.6 through 9792.12. The surviving entity or person responsible for administering the utilization review process for an employer, shall assume and be liable for all the liabilities, obligations and penalties of the prior corporation or business entity. Successor liability will be imposed if there has been a substantial continuity of business operations and/or the new business uses the same or substantially the same work force.

HISTORY

1. New section filed 6-7-2007; operative 6-7-2007 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4 (Register 2007, No. 23).

Note

Note: Authority: Sections 133, 4610 and 5307.3, Labor Code. Reference: Sections 129, 129.5, 4062, 4600, 4600.4, 4604.5, 4610 and 4614, Labor Code.