Schlick

—The Workers’ Compensation Act generally precludes an industrially injured employee from maintaining an action for damages against his employer or the employer’s insurer; the employee’s exclusive remedy is his right to workers’ compensation benefits under the jurisdiction of the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board. (Former Lab. Code, § 3601, now § 3602; §§ 3850, subd. (b), 3852, 5300; Unruh v. Truck Insurance Exchange (1972) 7 Cal.3d 616 [ 102 Cal.Rptr. 815 , 498 P.2d 1063 ].) In this appeal we decide whether an employee may bring a civil action against the independent claims administrator of a self-insured employer for its failure to pay benefits. We hold he may not; under the jurisdictional provisions of section 5300, subdivision (a), his recourse lies with the board.

I

Gregory Schlick appeals a judgment of dismissal following the sustaining of a demurrer to his complaint without leave to amend. We therefore accept the following facts as true. Schlick was employed by the City of Anaheim, a permissively self-insured employer for workers’ compensation purposes. As a result of his employment, Schlick suffered many industrial injuries for which he filed claims with the…