How Does Workers’ Compensation Work for Remote Workers? Does Your Employer Cover Medical Bills?
Workers’ compensation is designed to protect both employers and employees – and to balance their rights in the process. If you are injured on the job at your worksite, you are covered by workers’ comp, and if your claim is successful, your medical bills – for necessary treatments, tests, and procedures – will be covered. If you are a remote worker, however, the matter is more complicated, and you need the skilled legal representation of an experienced Philadelphia workers’ compensation attorney on your side.
If You Perform Your Work at Home
If you perform your work duties from home – or some other remote location – it can leave you feeling somewhat disconnected from the company that employs you. You should not, however, lose sight of the fact that you are still covered under the workers’ compensation insurance that your employer is required to carry for every employee.
Workers’ Compensation Coverage
Workers’ compensation covers the following losses that employees who suffered an injury on the job experience:
- Up to a specific percentage of their lost wages
- Those related medical bills that are deemed necessary
- In certain circumstances, you may also qualify for scarring benefits or “specific loss” benefits for loss of a limb
The complication when it comes to remote workers is determining when you are on the job and when you are simply at home – if your remote work location is your home.
The Dividing Line
The workforce in the United States has shifted dramatically in recent years, and far more people are working remotely than ever before. This makes the matter of determining when you’re injured in the context of doing your job while working remotely from home – or from anywhere else – and when you’re injured in the context of living your life more challenging.
If the task you’re attending to at the time of the injury-causing accident is work-related, you should be covered by workers’ compensation. If, on the other hand, the task has nothing to do with work, such as if you were putting dishes in the dishwasher at the time, you’re unlikely to be covered. This dividing line, however, is not always so clear-cut.
Factors like the following can also play a role:
- Whether you work specific remote hours, which means you’re likely to be covered during those specific hours only
- Whether your remote worksite, such as your home, presents a unique danger, which could mitigate your employer’s coverage obligation
- Your employee status – while freelance workers aren’t typically covered by workers’ compensation, you may be if the company has historically treated you like an employee rather than like an independent contract worker
Discuss Your Claim with an Experienced Philadelphia Workers’ Compensation Attorney Today
The capable Philadelphia workers’ compensation attorneys at HGSK Injury Lawyers are well-versed in the legal intricacies of challenging workers’ compensation claims, including those filed by remote workers like you. For more information about what we can do to help, please don’t wait to contact us online or call us at 267-350-6600 and schedule a free consultation today.