In North Carolina, an employee does not have to be hurt on the employer’s premises to be entitled to workers compensation benefits. In some situations an injury will “arise out of the employment” even if you are away from the workplace. For instance, your injury may be compensable if you…
Federal lawmakers are beginning to pay attention to the recent trend of states cutting workers compensation benefits. When a state reduces the benefits available to an injured worker, often federal disability assistance will step in to aid the injured worker. Congressman Bobby Scott of Virginia (D) explains that “what happens…
It might seem as if everyone at your workplace has problems with their back. For this reason, when you suffer a back injury that leaves you in debilitating pain, you might not think that you should seek worker’s compensation. It is important to realize that, though these types of injuries…
When you are injured in a workplace accident, you are entitled by North Carolina law to workers’ compensation benefits without the necessity of suing your employer to collect them. The tradeoff for receiving medical care for your workplace injuries and lost wages is that you give up your right to…
In North Carolina, injuries that do not occur in the course of employment might not be compensable. The phrase “in the course of employment” has a specific meaning when applied to a workers compensation case. Sometimes, an employee is acting in the course of his/her employment, even when the employee…
Employees may not recognize that Opt-out programs are a new and troubling trend in the United States. An Opt-out system essentially allows an employer to develop their own workplace injury plans. “Those plans generally cover fewer injuries, cut off benefit payments sooner, control access to doctors and even impose mandatory…
In today’s mobile society, it isn’t unusual for a worker hired by a North Carolina company to work in another state, either on a temporary or permanent basis. A short business trip can involve travel to another state or an employee may be assigned to a project in another state…
When the economy is down and unemployment is up, many people are just glad to have work, whether as an employee or an independent contractor. Having an income is the goal, right? True, but when an employer misclassifies a worker as an independent contractor, the repercussions can have negative consequences…
In most cases, an employee who suffers a work-related injury or illness is entitled to receive workers’ compensation benefits. The benefits include payment for time taken off of work and compensation for medical bills. Essentially, the purpose of workers’ compensation laws is to provide a safety net for employees who…
When an employer considers whether to pay a workers’ compensation claim, three factors that come into play are: (1) was the injury or illness work-related?; (2) did it happen during the course of business?; and (3) did the employee contribute to it through some of his or her own behavior…