HR Basics: Workers Compensation

HR Basics is a series of short courses, designed to highlight what you need to know about a particular human resource management topic. In today’s HR Basics, we introduce workers compensation, discussing covered persons, covered injuries, and benefits provided.

Workers compensation is a type of insurance that provides defined wage benefits and medical care to employees who are injured on the job. Workers’ compensation is a no-fault insurance program that pays benefits to employees who sustain work-related injuries or illnesses.

Workers’ compensation insurance programs are run by individual states and are designed to cover employee expenses incurred in work-related accidents or injuries. A work-related injury or illness is generally a physical condition that is caused, aggravated, precipitated or accelerated by the work or the work environment.

Employers have a number of responsibilities under state workers' compensation laws.If these requirements are not met, employers can be fined and injured employees may be able to sue an employer in court. Employers must: Carry workers' compensation insurance; Post notices and advise employees of their legal rights; and Provide claim forms to injured employers within 24 hours of receiving notice of the injury.