How To Ensure Your Employees’ Compensation After An Accident At Work
Employees who’ve sustained injuries while on the job are eligible for workers’ compensation benefits. However, only injuries sustained while doing your work or on behalf of your employer will qualify as work-related injuries. Employers have a responsibility to ensure that their employees are well looked after following a work-related injury. In addition to this, employers are also required by law to carry workers’ compensation insurance. This is an umbrella of insurance cover that helps employees who’ve sustained workplace-related injuries recover lost income as well as taking care of their medical expenses.
There is a great need for employers to understand the financial aspect of compensating employees who have been injured while on the job. Employee compensation has over the past decades become a sensitive topic and most people will get very passionate when figuring out the best compensation for an employee. Unless your employer refuses to provide employees with coverage, you’ll not be entitled to sue them, rather, you can file a claim for your workers’ compensation benefits which is about two-thirds of your salary. But as an employer, the question is, how do you ensure your employees’ compensation after an accident at work?
1. Taking Note of Your Legal Responsibilities
As earlier mentioned, employers are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance in case of a workplace-related injury. But they have other legal responsibilities of preventing these injuries from happening in the first place. To help ensure that your employees are compensated after a workplace-related injury, the first thing you’ll need to do is notify your insurer about any workplace accidents within 48 hours. Of course, it’s important that you also seek appropriate medical treatment for your injured employee. As you read more here, you’ll also learn that for your employees to access workers’ compensation benefits, they’ll need to first obtain healthcare for any workplace-related injuries. Later, you’ll be required to fill an employer’s report of injury form. To help avoid any penalties for late submission, the form must be submitted within three days to the relevant institutions.
2. Contributing Towards Employment Benefits
An employee who’s been injured while on the job may be away from work for a considerable amount of time. This is while they are receiving treatment and rehabilitation. As an employer, you have a responsibility to continue making regular contributions towards employment benefits. This will help your employees receive the best treatment as well as cover for their lost wages. Among the most crucial employment benefit plans, you’ll need to contribute towards may include health insurance and pensions. On the other hand, employees who have been contributing towards their own health benefits will also be required to continue with the contributions even while away from work lest the employer feels that they are not obligated to provide for them any benefits.
3. Supporting an Injured Employee
Following a work-related injury, an employer needs to extend their support to the injured worker. It’s during this time that they’ll need to feel loved and cared for. There are various ways employers can show support. For instance, they may recommend support groups or rehabilitation programs, whether in-house or through other organizations.
4. Returning An Injured Worker To Work
After a workplace-related injury, if an employee finds that they are in good condition to go back to work, they can be reinstated. However, this needs to be after a medical examiner has confirmed that they are in their best shape. Now, if their previous position was filled by another employee, the employer is required to find them a comparable position both in pay and responsibilities. There is a need for both employees and employers to cooperate on this matter. It could also mean providing employees with any necessary assistance for them to perform their daily tasks with ease. Most employers have a recovery at work plan, where injured employees returning to work are monitored and cared for.
Employers who fail to return an injured worker are bound to face hefty penalties that are levied by employment boards and workers’ rights bodies. In addition to this, employers who terminate employees from work after six months from the time of returning to work must prove that the termination wasn’t because of the injuries.
Finally, as an employer, workplace-related injuries can impact your business significantly. Having a plan that helps prevent workplace injuries will help in improving your workplace, boosting employee morale, and ultimately increasing productivity. Prioritizing health and safety in the workplace is an important aspect in all industries in helping promote wellness for both employees and their employers.
