While certain professionals, such as repair specialists or salespeople, may perform off-site work, until recently most professionals worked at the facilities owned and maintained by their employers. The last few years have seen a drastic shift in modern employment practices, including where people work.
Remote work, where employees do their jobs from home, has become more common. Many employees also enjoy hybrid work models, where they are in the office some days and work remotely on other days.
Do remote workers have the option of filing a workers’ compensation claim, like on-site employees can?
The nature of the injury determines eligibility
The location where an employee performs their job functions is not the deciding factor when looking at their eligibility for workers’ compensation benefits. Instead, the main consideration is whether their employment caused their injury. One can envision many such scenarios, such as sitting down in front of a computer to work and not sitting firmly in the chair, causing it to roll back and the employee to fall.
Remote work employees may be at risk of developing repetitive strain disorders and similar medical conditions that could affect their efficiency and overall job performance. They could also develop other medical issues related to their job functions. Regardless of the location where the worker sustains their injury or where they perform the majority of their job tasks, they may still be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits.
Remote workers may need to ensure that they follow appropriate procedures when reporting injuries to their employers and applying for benefits. However, with the support of a legal professional, it is theoretically possible for remote and hybrid workers to file a benefits claim. The problem may be less of an issue as to whether the claim is compensable, and more of an issue of how to prove that the injury happened in the course of employment.
Discussing a work injury with a certified specialist workers’ compensation lawyer can help employees evaluate their eligibility for benefits and take the right steps to pursue a claim. Injured remote workers and others with complicated claims may want to contact the team at Wolf, Baldwin & Associates, P.C. by clicking here or calling 610-638-6091 to learn more.