JUDSON STEEL CORPORATION, a corporation, Petitioner v. WORKERS' COMPENSATION APPEALS BOARD OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA and RALPH MAESE, Respondents. In 1973 petitioner Judson Steel Corporation employed applicant Ralph A. Maese as a crane operator. Despite his knowledge that Maese 'was off work because of an accident which occurred at Judson Steel,' Cortez laid off Maese because Maese 'lost seniority automatically according to the contract. 'On November 4, 1976, the workers' compensation judge found that Judson has made no attempt to extend Maese's 12-month grace period. Moreover, Judson '[was] not in any way compelled to terminate [Maese's] seniority after his period of temporary disability. '

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