What do 'disability benefits' in California Workers' Compensation comprise?

Disability benefits in California Workers' Compensation are designed to provide financial support to employees who are unable to work due to a work-related injury or illness. Specifically, these benefits help compensate for lost wages during the period an employee cannot perform their job duties because of their medical condition. This coverage aims to ensure that workers have some level of income while they recover and cannot engage in their typical work activities.

Other choices do not encompass the full scope of what disability benefits entail. While payments for medical bills are important in the workers' compensation system, they do not represent disability benefits, which focus on lost wages and the employee's ability to work. Similarly, reimbursement for lost wages could imply only the wage replacement aspect but does not specifically highlight the context of an employee being unable to work due to injury, which is crucial. Lastly, one-time lump sum payments may be part of settlements or specific types of claims but are not representative of the ongoing wage-loss benefits provided throughout an employee's recovery period. Thus, the correct understanding of 'disability benefits' is that they comprise payments made to employees who are unable to work due to their injuries or illnesses.