There once was a time when a worker who was injured on the job had little recourse. Not just was he physically injured, he lost income and had medical bills to pay. Sometimes the injury left a worker disabled and unable to provide for his family. The worker had few options in addition to to sue the employer for compensation. Often, the workers lost. This is what led to the establishment of Worker\’s Compensation.
Worker\’s compensation refers to a state-run insurance program that protects the majority of workers in the event of an on-the-job injury or an illness that results from working conditions. Exempted from this coverage are agricultural workers including farm owners and crop harvesters; domestic employees such as maids, housekeepers, butlers and the like; independent contractors of any sort; and employees of small businesses with five or fewer workers.
While each program varies in some details, all are set up to provide monetary benefits to a worker whose injury or illness resulted from a job-related accident or from the conditions of employment. Examples of this could be someone who breaks a bone in a fall, some who loses hearing as the result of working in a noisy environment, or someone who suffers repetitive stress injury from a lot of typing.
In addition to paying an injured or ill worker\’s wages and medical costs, worker\’s compensation will pay for physical or vocation therapy for seriously injured workers. The program also might pay future-compensation benefits to a worker who loses a high-paying job because of his or her injury. A worker can also receive compensation for loss of future income if he or she can\’t continue in a higher-paying job because of the injury. The family of a worker who\’s killed on the job can receive worker\’s compensation benefits to pay for the employee\’s funeral. They also may receive worker\’s compensation money to offset the loss of the worker\’s income.
If a worker is seriously injured or ill, worker\’s compensation also will pay for vocational rehabilitation such as physical therapy or training for a different job. Some programs also pay workers for loss of future earnings, if the injury prevents them from continuing in a higher-paying occupation than they can pursue because of a disability. If a worker is killed on the job, the program pays funeral costs and survivors may receive benefits to replace the deceased\’s lost wages.
If injured on the job, or made ill by toxins or working conditions, it\’s important that workers report the injury and file worker\’s compensation claims immediately. managers and supervisors should offer workers claims forms to fill out. it may also be wise to consult an attorney who specializes in worker\’s compensation law, if the worker suspects the employer or the insurance company could challenge his or her claim.
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