What You Need to Know About Getting a New Job While on Workers’ Comp
One receives workers’ compensation when they cannot perform their current job and may require new employment. Here’s everything you need to know about if you can get a new job while on workers’ compensation.
Worker’s compensation provides payments to employees who were injured at work. Employers pay for insurance to cover medical bills and lost income for the employee. In worker’s compensation claims, no party is at fault, but the incident is simply a work-related injury. If the employee spends significant time away from work, they may seek a new job. getting a new job. However, barriers may prevent their new employment goal.
Continuing Benefits While Getting a New Job
Workers’ compensation may not equal one’s regular pay. If the injury is long-term, one may struggle to make ends meet, forcing an individual to search for a new job. However, finding a new job could jeopardize the benefits one gain from the workers’ compensation claim.
Communication with the insurance company and current employer is critical for individuals seeking a new job while on workers’ compensation. If one accepts a new position with identical tasks to their former job, the workers’ compensation insurance company may end the benefits.
Suppose the new position requires fewer physical demands and accommodates the injury one sustained at the previous place of employment. In that case, one must submit the proper paperwork to the insurance company to ensure benefit payments continue.
Related: Workers’ Compensation Laws & Requirements By State
Workers’ Comp Benefits Changing When Accepting a New Position
If a new position pays significantly less than one’s previous position, they could be eligible to review wage loss benefits. Wage loss benefits would increase the wage at one’s new place of employment to match the previous salary compensated by the insurance company.
A long-term injury could require frequent or periodic doctor’s visits, requiring the previous employer’s workers’ compensation insurance company to continue providing medical coverage despite the employee working somewhere else.
The same employer may offer the injured employee different tasks or positions with lighter duties within the same company. New tasks within the same company would enable the employee to continue receiving their regular salary and aiding the company. While not required, giving this option may be in the company’s best interest.
Related: Can an Employer Sue an Employee for Poor Performance?
FAQs about Can I Get a New Job While On Workers’ Comp?
What happens to workers’ comp if an employee takes a new job in a different state?
One can still receive workers’ compensation benefits in a new state of residence. The state’s workers’ compensation and laws where the injury initially took place still apply throughout benefits and medical coverage.
Can an employee continue to work at their second job if they already have one at the time of injury?
If the second job does not aggravate the injuries, the workers’ compensation insurance company will continue to cover the injury expenses and lost salary. However, the company where one’s injury occurred is only responsible for workers’ comp payments.
Can an employee quit their job while on workers’ compensation and still receive benefits?
Employees can only continue to receive medical benefits if they resign from their job while on workers’ compensation. Once they leave their employment, they no longer can receive lost wages.
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