‘Tis the season — for workplace injuries

Thanksgiving and Black Friday are in the rearview mirror. That leaves the remainder of the holiday shopping season directly in front of us. For the thousands of Charlotte residents working in retail, it is a time of year in which the risk of work-related injuries is higher than normal.

Many jobs in retail are seasonal, putting them in even greater danger of sustaining an on-the-job injury. According to recent report, new employees are more likely to be hurt while working than experienced workers.

The National Federation of Independent Businesses says that more than 25 percent of incidents or injuries happen to employees who have been working at the job for less than a year. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics says that workers who are in their first month on the job are most vulnerable.

After all, they are typically less familiar than seasoned co-workers with proper workplace procedures and safety rules. And let’s face it, at this time of year many retailers might skimp on educating and training workers than they would from January through October.

One of the concerns retail workers face is the threat of violence. Robbery-related attacks are the leading cause of fatalities in retail, the article states.

While many of us might believe that retail workers face little danger, the reality is that convenience store employees are seven times more likely to be killed in a workplace homicide than people working in other industries.

Other retail workplace violence includes fights, assaults, bullying and theft-related incidents.

On-the-job injuries can result in not only a loss of income, but enormous medical bills. In far too many cases, employers and insurers try to deny North Carolina workers’ compensation benefits to deserving claimants. An experienced Charlotte work injury lawyer can help you fight for your rights and benefits.