Worker’s compensation allows employees to enter the workplace in ease. They do not have to worry or fear about the dangers of their occupation. Employees make a simple trade off with their employers to get worker’s compensation. An employee gives up the ability to sue the company for injury, negligence, in return for wage replacement and medical benefits. The employee is reimbursed, paid, or treated in some manner as a way to cover an injury that occurs on-the-job.
Certain states and employers have stipulations and specifics about their worker’s compensation programs. The benefits from worker’s compensation can vary. The most common is coverage of injury. The other types of coverage can include disability, economic loss, health insurance, and even life insurance. The jurisdiction of the state and guidelines of the employer weigh heavily on what kinds of coverage are available to the employees.
Worker’s compensation can not only be limited to injury. Employers can also cover illnesses. Illness does not mean normal sickness like the common cold. Only illnesses that can be proven to be contrived from the workplace are covered by worker’s compensation benefits. So, the illness has to be severe enough to put the employee out of work for a long period of time. The same can also be said for injuries. The only injuries covered by worker’s compensation are injuries that are received from working at the workplace or being on-the-job. The injury must also put the employee out of work for a sustained period of time.
Workers’ compensation is not necessarily given by all companies. Certain states require employers to have worker’s compensation but there are also states that do not require it. For an employee, the benefits greatly vary on where you work, who you are working for, and local/state legislation.
