Workers compensation insurance is a no-fault type of insurance that pays both wages and medical costs if an employee is injured on the job. It is a government mandated requirement that every business carry this type of insurance in almost every state. Depending on where you’re doing business there are many different types of workers compensation insurance programs available.
For an employee to work in at a company for a long period of time, it generally means that the company takes care of his needs and provides excellent benefits. Though it’s required by law Workers Compensation Insurance could be considered one of these benefits. It is the insurance that covers medical expenses and other injuries that may occur while being employed with the company. The employer basically takes the responsibility of caring for their employees in case of accidents or other unforeseen ailments. If the employer fails to bear these expenses, the employee can sue them for negligence. If an employee has to undergo a surgery or if those dependent on him need to take a treatment, such expenses will be reimbursed by the company.
Workers Compensation Insurance was first introduced in Australia and Europe but today is applicable all over the world. Along with the offer letter, an annexure containing all the other expenses that the employer covers needs to be given to ensure there are no discrepancies at a later date. Statutory agreements give specifications with regards to the kind of injuries covered and the amount up to which the employer is liable to pay. The employing company has a tie up with an insurance company, most likely a private firm which will handle all the paperwork and making sure the process is followed.
In an industrial set up, having Workers Compensation Insurance is very essential as the employee’s life is at stake. And so, the employee needs to be compensated incase he meets with an accident that leaves him handicapped or unable to continue working. The employer also has to pay the employee for days when he has to miss work because of the injury. In a private company, even the board of directors are covered under this policy, whereas in a sole proprietorship or partnership, only their employees are covered. They need to take out separate individual policies for their safety. No matter what kind of an organization it is, they need to take care of their employees and having a good workers compensation insurance policy is a must.
