Workers' Compensation
Workers' compensation allows employees to collect income and benefits after they have been injured on the job. Death benefits are also offered to families of workers who were killed at work. Most employees are covered through state laws or separate federal laws protecting certain classes of workers such as railroad employees, longshoremen and shipyard workers.
Workers' compensation law was developed during the Industrial Revolution after a sharp increase in the number of job-related accidents. It allows workers to remain economically stable during recovery by covering their loss of income and medical expenses. If a worker is severely injured and cannot return to their job, workers' compensation provides vocational rehabilitation benefits for those who qualify. The law also covers occupational disease, which is an injury that occurs from workplace conditions. For instance, an asbestos removal specialist may suffer from lung disease after years on the job.
In addition to providing help to injured employees, workers compensation encourages companies to uphold safety measures on the job. While employers are required to follow certain standard safety measures, accidents still happen on a daily basis. Some common work injuries include:
- Back Injury
- Dismemberment
- Hearing Loss
- Severed Nerve
- Broken bones
If you have been injured on the job, contact your union representative for more information on collecting workers' compensation or visit the website of the U.S. Department of Labor.
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