Moran Out as Calif. Workers’ Comp Admin Director

Rosa Moran, one of the members of Gov. Jerry Brown’s Department of Industrial Relations team that helped to hammer out a last-minute deal to reform California’s workers’ compensation system, has stepped down.

The announcement was made on Thursday by DIR spokesman Dean Fryer via email to responses to rumors that circulated earlier in the day that Moran was stepping down.

“Effective Wednesday evening, September 5, Division of Workers’ Compensation Administrative Director, Rosa Moran, resigned her position,” Fryer wrote. “Moran was originally appointed on July 18, 2011. We appreciate her dedication to the department and division and thank her for her service. Moran will return to her prior position as a workers compensation Judge in the DWC Oakland district office.”

Erika Monterroza, a DIR spokeswoman, said there would be no other information released from the department right now.

Moran was part of a statewide fact-gathering tour earlier this year with DIR Director Christine Baker. The pair were reportedly involved in negotiations to produce a workers’ comp proposal in secret, working with labor and a handful of large, self-insured employers.

The proposal became Senate Bill 863, and was introduced in the last week of Legislative session. Despite strong opposition from attorneys who represent injured workers it passed resoundingly. It reportedly will increase benefits to injured workers by more than $700 million while reducing system-wide costs.

As head of DWC, Moran managed a staff of over 1,000 and a budget of $155 million, according to DIR. Moran had served as a workers’ compensation judge since 2005. Previously, she was an attorney in private practice from 1988 to 2005. The starting compensation for Moran, a Democrat, was $132,179. She replaced Carrie Nevans, who at the time was acting administrative director since October of 2005, after she died due to complications from kidney failure.

Moran received her undergraduate degree from University of the Pacific in Stockton and a law degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law.

Topics California Workers' Compensation