Most businesses, with few exceptions, are required to offer their employees workers’ compensation Maitland FL. These are some common reasons companies are exempt from providing this benefit and why employees may not qualify to receive it.
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What is Workers’ Compensation?
When workers are injured on the job and cannot perform their duties, workers’ compensation insurance covers their medical bills and provides them with income until they can return to work. When workers can no longer perform their pre-injury jobs, insurance benefits cover the costs of training them for different vocations, supporting minor children, or funeral expenses. In exchange, workers and their families waive their right to sue their employers.
When Are Employers Exempt from Offering Coverage?
Federal employers offer separate coverage and do not provide their employees with workers’ compensation benefits. Railroad and longshore workers, and volunteers and some part-time workers are among those who do not qualify to receive this benefit.
Do All Injuries Qualify for Benefits?
There are some circumstances when an employee’s injuries do not qualify for benefits. Injuries that occur while an employee commutes to and from work or during voluntary attendance at a job-related social event do not qualify. Employees will also not receive benefits if their injuries are due to their reckless behavior or intoxication or occur during a physical altercation with someone else.
When Are Claims Denied?
Sometimes insurers deny legitimate workers’ compensation claims despite an employee’s hardship because there are no witnesses to the accident or the employee waited too long to report it, implying a minor injury. In other cases, an employee’s medical records may contradict the accident report. Insurers may also deny claims that individuals file long after they are laid off or fired when they appear to be retaliatory.
It is helpful to familiarize yourself with your workers’ compensation benefits to ensure you get the support you need after sustaining a job-related injury.