Six Questions Every Teen Should Ask About Their Summer Job

By WorkersCompensation.com 07/11/2013 13:48:00

Augusta, ME (WorkersCompensation.com) - The US Department of Labor estimates that millions of young people under the age of 24 are likely to join the labor force this summer. Some will find their first part-time job while others will land something more permanent. 

In the excitement of a new job, though, it's important to remember that young, inexperienced workers are twice as likely to be injured on the job as their more experienced co-workers. According to the Centers for Disease Control, every year more than 50,000 youth are so badly injured at work that they need emergency medical treatment. And that figure doesn't include the numerous cuts, bruises, and strains that don't require a trip to the hospital. 

Why are these figures so high? Most experts point to inexperience and a lack of thorough job training. "It's pretty well established that inexperience can lead to injury," said Karl Siegfried, Assistant Vice President for Loss Control and Safety at workers' compensation insurer MEMIC. "Too often young workers want to impress their new boss and try to show that they can do things that they have never done before. That's where trouble can start. The good news is that there are proven ways to avoid the injuries that can result from inexperience." 

Siegfried said that formal on-the-job training is among the best ways to learn about job hazards as well as the safest methods for accomplishing the work.  Siegfried said that young workers and their parents should have an understanding of the safety risks associated with a new job. Most problems can be addressed by asking your employer a few simple questions before you get started: 

1)    What are the hazards in this job?   It's tough to keep yourself safe if you don't know what you should be keeping yourself safe from. Once you understand the hazards in your workplace, you can ensure that you're receiving proper training on managing them. 

2)    How much job safety training will I have?   Employers are required by law to provide job hazard training that's easy to follow. If you ever feel like you need a process explained further, don't hesitate or feel embarrassed to ask - it's always worth the extra time and an injury is far worse than any momentary embarrassment! 

3)    Will I need to use safety gear, and if so, how?   Employers may also be required by law to provide protective gear at no cost to you. Whether that means safety glasses, ear plugs, or something else, make sure you can take every necessary precaution. If safety equipment is available to you, make sure you know how to use or wear it correctly. 

4)    If I have health and safety concerns, who do I ask?   Whether it's your supervisor or a designated workplace safety coordinator, it's important for you to know who has the answers to your safety questions. Don't be afraid to speak up if you feel unsafe at any time during your workday. 

5)    What do I do in an emergency?   Be sure to review your workplace's emergency protocol. Where is the nearest fire exit to your workstation? Do you have a designated meeting spot once you're out of immediate danger? Ask whether your employer holds regular emergency drills. 

6)    What should I do if I get hurt at work?  It's important to report any injury you sustain in your workplace. Regardless of the injury's severity, your workplace safety contact will be able to help you with applying first aid and filling out any necessary paperwork. 

As your partner in workplace safety, MEMIC is committed to creating a work environment that's healthy and accessible for every employee, no matter their age or level of experience. With these questions, employees can build a foundation of safety knowledge that helps to reinforce everyday well being.

Original Source

Contact the Law Office of O'Toole & Sbarbaro, P.C. today if you have a workers' compensation or a Social Security disability case.

http://www.otoole-sbarbaro.com

Phone: 303-595-4777

We are located in the Denver Metro area.

226 West 12th Avenue Denver, Colorado 80204

Disclaimer 

Any content of this blog is intended for informational purposes only.It is not intended to solicit business, provide legal advice from The Law Office of O'Toole & Sbarbaro, P.C. and does not serve as a medium for an attorney-client relationship. Therefore, The Law Office of O'Toole & Sbarbaro, P.C. is not responsible for the information on this blog which may not apply to every reader. Always seek professional counsel if you have any legal matters. Contents within the blog of The Law Office of O'Toole & Sbarbaro, P.C., logos and other related media are protected by the copyright laws of the United States and other jurisdictions.

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What is the purpose of a waiting period in Workers' Compensation?

Waiting periods are a very common feature in US workers’ compensation systems but are relatively rare in the Canadian context and absent from Australian systems.   A waiting period in workers’ compensation is a form of worker deductible.  Most commonly, waiting periods start on the first day for which wages are lost and last anywhere from one day to one week with three and seven day waiting periods being very common.

Many systems allow for medical-only claims during the waiting period and most have no prohibition against the employer paying some benefits during this time.  In fact, collective agreements may contain provisions that require wage continuation during a workers’ compensation waiting period.  In such cases, there is no administrative or indemnity saving by introducing a waiting period.  All that changes is the pocket from which the benefit is paid.

Most systems with a waiting period have a retroactive point.  If the worker is off work beyond this point (ranging from one to four weeks but most commonly two weeks), the waiting period is waived and the worker receives wage-loss indemnity payments for the waiting period as part of the workers’ compensation claim.  Eliminating a waiting period impacts only the cases with durations less than the waiting period.

When workers’ compensation systems started, the waiting period was seen as a way to constrain insurance costs.  As may be deduced from the structure of the waiting-period deductible and the retroactive provision, the waiting period is targeted at less severe (in terms of duration) claims. Let me be clear, waiting periods limit cost to the insurer (and, through insurance rate-setting and experience-rating provisions, to the employer).  The human and financial cost of the injury for the waiting period is borne by the worker and his family unless this burden is offset by collective agreement provisions or employer practice of wage continuation (or access to sick leave or other paid leave provisions) provided by the employer. 

When workers’ compensation got started in BC in 1917, the waiting period was three days.   In 1972, the waiting period was eliminated.   This was part of a trend in Canada, however, there has been a recent trend to consider and implement waiting periods.  Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia each have a “2/5^ths” of a week waiting period [which works well for 4 day weeks and other non-five days a week schedules] and New Brunswick has a 3 day waiting period. 

From a pure insurance point of view, the best injury claim is the one never filed.  Introducing waiting periods conceptually reduce administrative costs [assuming healthcare costs are paid by someone else] and indemnity costs but they may well discourage many claims of longer duration from ever being filed.  If sick leave or other leave provisions are in place, a worker may well elect to forgo a possible workers’ compensation claim with all the burden of filing and often with an implied or perceived onus of proving work-relatedness in favour of a simple sick leave application within the firm.  Firms may well tacitly approve this practice as it may (or may be perceived to) positively impact workers’ compensation premium rates through experience rating. 

For workplaces with no alternatives, a waiting period externalizes a cost of production [work-related injuries and illnesses] to workers.  If this forces the worker or a family to access other aspects of the social safety net [social welfare services] or community food banks, then the mere existence of a waiting period externalized costs beyond the workplace.  Put another way, those externalized costs amount to a subsidy (paid by workers’ families, taxpayers or the community) to businesses where injuries occur. 

Yes, the firm will have to hire a replacement worker for a few days or bear the costs of lost productivity, but that is the case regardless of the legislative existence of a waiting period. Contrast a firm in a jurisdiction with a waiting period to one where work-related claims are payable from the day following the day of injury and the collective value of waiting periods is obvious. 

Some may argue that the financial subsidy or externalization of costs at the aggregate level is not large.  If this is the case, then reverse is also true: the cost of eliminating waiting periods where they exist will not be large either. If, however, the value of a waiting period is argued to be significant, then its cost or subsidy value should be part of the policy discussion. 

Every jurisdiction has to make its own decision regarding waiting periods in workers’ compensation.  That’s a matter for legislators and their electorates.  There may be good and valid reasons for waiting periods that outweigh the costs or justify the subsidy in a particular jurisdiction.  I am not saying the public policy choice to have or introduce a waiting period is always a bad one.  I am suggesting that the policy debate include a full discussion of the externalized costs and subsidy values involved.

Original Source

Contact the Law Office of O'Toole & Sbarbaro, P.C. today if you have a workers' compensation or a Social Security disability case.

Law Office of O'Toole & Sbarbaro, P.C. 

Phone: 303-595-4777

We are located in the Denver Metro area.

226 West 12th Avenue Denver, Colorado 80204

Disclaimer 

Any content of this blog is intended for informational purposes only.It is not intended to solicit business, provide legal advice from The Law Office of O'Toole & Sbarbaro, P.C. and does not serve as a medium for an attorney-client relationship. Therefore, The Law Office of O'Toole & Sbarbaro, P.C. is not responsible for the information on this blog which may not apply to every reader. Always seek professional counsel if you have any legal matters. Contents within the blog of The Law Office of O'Toole & Sbarbaro, P.C., logos and other related media are protected by the copyright laws of the United States and other jurisdictions.

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Firefighters without health insurance - Denver - Law Office of O'Toole & Sbarbaro, P.C. Worker's Comp Blog

The federal Wildland Fire Service Association says around 40 percent of federal firefighters are part time workers without benefits.

Firefighters put their lives on the line to save those things that can never be replaced.

But, what you might not know is that thousands of federal firefighters are part time employees.
Most part-time employees don't get health benefits and firefighters aren't any different.

They're asking the federal government for an optional health benefits plan for seasonally
employed federal wildland firefighters and their families.

The U.S. Forest Service part time employee gets health insurance, which includes season firefighters.
They say it's a cost that would be too high for the government to cover.

Part-time firefighters hurt on the job are covered under federal workers comp.
A Forest Service spokesperson says if firefighters can prove lingering health issues as a result of their work, taxpayer dollars will cover the cost of their care.

Source (KUSA-TV © 2012 Multimedia Holdings Corporation)

Watch the Video Here


Contact the Law Office of O'Toole & Sbarbaro, P.C. today if you have a workers' compensation or a Social Security disability case.
Law Office of O'Toole & Sbarbaro, P.C. 
Phone: 303-595-4777
We are located in the Denver Metro area.
226 West 12th Avenue Denver, Colorado 80204

Disclaimer 
Any content of this blog is intended for informational purposes only.It is not intended to solicit business, provide legal advice from The Law Office of O'Toole & Sbarbaro, P.C. and does not serve as a medium for an attorney-client relationship. Therefore, The Law Office of O'Toole & Sbarbaro, P.C. is not responsible for the information on this blog which may not apply to every reader. Always seek professional counsel if you have any legal matters. Contents within the blog of The Law Office of O'Toole & Sbarbaro, P.C., logos and other related media are protected by the copyright laws of the United States and other jurisdictions.


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