A guide to the Workers' Compensation Act

There are laws set forth to protect everyone in almost all situations. Employees whose job functions may or may not include dangerous situations, are still protected. Employees should not feel as if they have to perform a dangerous job function, without knowing whether they will be financially covered if something harmful happens to them. This is why employees are protected by the Workers’ Compensation Act. The Workers’ Compensation Act help employees to receive a financial benefit if they are hurt at work. Read this article to learn more about the Workers' Compensation Act.

What is Workers’ Compensation?

Definition The Workers’ Compensation law enforces almost all employers to provide benefit compensation to employees who have been injured. The injury must have occurred on the job or as a result of the job. Moreover, the employee must be an eligible employee to receive Workers’ Compensation benefits. What injuries are covered? Under the Workers’ Compensation law, an injury is defined with a very broad meaning. An injury can include a health impairment, which can be caused by the job function or physical injuries that are sustained while on the job. If an employee catches a disease or suffers a loss of hearing because of the job duties or being exposed to something on the job, an employee can be eligible to receive Workers’ Compensation. An employee cannot receive Workers’ Compensation for an injury or disease that they have already had, unless the job function caused the pre-existing injury or disease to become worse.

Who is covered under the Workers’ Compensation law?

Workers’ Compensation eligibility Most part-time and full-time employees, who are under contract of hire and are injured on the job, are eligible for Workers’ Compensation. The individuals who are not eligible for Workers’ Compensation are independent contractors, limited liability company members and partners. If they would like to be covered under Workers’ Compensation, they can purchase a Workers’ Compensation insurance policy. Who pays for Workers’ Compensation? Most employers pay the Workers’ Compensation insurance policy for their employees and the insurance is supplied through a private company. The employer is required to keep the insurance premium paid up-to-date and always have a current active policy. If an employer fails to keep to policy paid current or does not have insurance coverage at all, they can be liable for any damages that an employee occurs and they can be sued in a civil action suit.