Workers’ compensation protects injured employees from financial destitution. According to the Department of Industrial Relations, workers’ compensation insurance covers medical care, permanent and temporary disability benefits, death benefits and supplemental job displacement benefits.
However, some areas of coverage might not be clear. For instance, you might suffer from extreme exhaustion or stress from working long hours. Continue reading to learn if your working conditions might qualify you for workers’ compensation.
Conditions for workers’ compensation
Everyone feels overworked at some point. However, there are situations where your employer pushes you too far. If you work beyond a 40-hour workweek and suffer from exhaustion, anxiety, depression, immune disorders, back pain or heart disease, you might have a case for workers’ compensation.
Mental health coverage
California workers’ compensation includes a provision for workplace mental health such as depressive and anxiety disorders. These disorders might lead to physical changes such as weight fluctuations and headaches. You might have coverage without realizing it if you suffer from such ailments. To link your mental disorder to the workplace, you need to document when the symptoms began. Think about when you took on a larger workload and if your anxiety or depression started at that time.
Repetitive stress injuries
Some other injuries might be more obviously linked. Repetitive stress injuries such as carpal tunnel might be the result of your increased work burdens. Notify your supervisor immediately if you begin experiencing new aches or pains because you could qualify for benefits.
Workers in the U.S. tend to push themselves to an unhealthy degree. You may want to take on extra work, but you also might qualify for workers’ compensation benefits.
