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• HIGASHI: Why is that? <br />BEN: Well, the Charter is silent with respect to the positions, but the Charter <br />isn't silent with respect to the functions. There is reference to workers' comp under the duties <br />and responsibilities of the Safety Coordinator. <br />HIGASHI: So if the Charter spells that the workers' comp responsibility -. Employee <br />safety, look at is as training employees not to get hurt is more important than trying to treat them <br />to get back to work, but is that something that your department is capable of if given the <br />employees? Is that what you're saying? <br />BEN: Normally, yes, but I have not been -, I have a vacant position which <br />happens to be my trainer, and I've not been allowed to fill it for the last six years. So, again, you <br />know, training function does belong under my department, but we just haven't been able to <br />operate. So, again, it's sort of like giving me responsibility with no authority, you know. <br />RAY: Okay. Marni, do you have a question? <br />HERKES: If we put review process and maintain workers' compensation records for <br />the County under Civil Service, and we probably, from what I'm hearing, would insert a line <br />about training, you already have a trainer position available, and eliminated the Safety <br />Coordinator position entirely from the Charter, which would allow the Mayor to appoint it if it <br />wanted to, but it would not be in the Charter, what ramifications do you think that would have for <br />the County workers? <br />BEN: I think the move would be a good one because, you know, being under -, it <br />would be, in a long term, ongoing program where we would be able to set our goals long term <br />wise, and we can set the policies and procedures that will not change, you know, with every <br />administration. I think it would definitely benefit the County. <br />HERKES: <br />RAY: <br />Okay. Thank you. <br />Okay. Other questions? <br />IRVINE: We have had other people testifying about this, and it was suggested that <br />maybe the workmen' comp part go under Corp. Counsel's office because they have to deal with <br />that for the Department of Labor. Is that a reasonable idea? <br />BEN: I don't think so, because as somebody pointed out here, workers' comp is <br />not just about appeals and appearing before the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board. It's <br />about a program -, it's about providing for a safety program, it's about providing for <br />opportunities to get our employees back to work, you know, and get them, get them healed and <br />back to work and being productive. It's -, the -, I think the ideas about transferring it to the <br />27 <br />