Federal and State laws REQUIRE
employers to maintain Worker's Comp coverage to meet minimum standards, covering a majority of employees for work related illnesses and injuries.
Workers compensation laws
also protect employers and fellow workers by limiting the award and injured employee can recover from an employer
U.S Dept. of Labor (DOL) Office of Workers Comp Programs....
administers programs that provide wage/replacement benefits, medical treatment, vocational rehabilitation, and other benefits to federal workers.
the dept of labor also manages the following programs designed to prevent work related injuries:
1. mine safety and health administration (MSHA)
2. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
3. Jones Act
Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program
effective July 31, 2001, started providing benefits to eligible employees and former employees of the dept of energy.
Federal Black Lung Program
provides medical treatment and other benefits for respiratory conditions related to former employment in the nation's coal mines.
Federal agencies reimburse FECA for worker's comp through....
an annual budget chargeback process, which transfers funds from a responsible federal agency's budget.
the OWCP's' Division of Federal employees Compensation (DFEC)
processes new claims for benefits and manages ongoing cases. pays medical expenses & compensation benefits
Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Program
covers private industry workers who are engaged in the extraction of natural resources from the outer continental shelf, employees on American defense bases, and those working under contract with the US government for defense or public works projects outside the continental USA.
The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970
created the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) to protect employees against injuries from occupational hazards in the workplace.
OSHA and its state partners
established protective standards, enforce those standards and reach out to employers and employees by providing technical assistance and consultation programs.
Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
contain information about chemical and hazardous substances used on site. Training employees in the safe handling of these substances is also required.
Comprehensive records of all vaccinations administered and any accidental exposure incedences....
must be retained for 20 years.
Federal Employment Liability Act (FELA)
is not a workers compensation statute, but it provides railroad employees with protection from employer negligence and makes railroads engaged in interstate commerce liable for injuries to employees if the railroad was negligent.
Workers Comp Board or Commission
administrates programs that provide wage replacement for injured workers.
State Insurance (or Compensation) fund:
a quasi-public agency that provides worker's compensation insurance coverage to private and public employers
Self insurance plans:
employers with sufficient capital to qualify can self insure which means they are required to set aside a state mandated percentage of capital funds to cover medical expenses
Schedule loss of use
the employee has a loss of eyesight, hearing or a part of the body or its use. Compensation is LIMITED to a certain number of weeks according to a schedule set by law.
Providers who treat established pt's for work related disorders
should create a compensation file (separate from the established medical record)
provide death benefits to eligible dependents. these benefit amounts are calculated according to the employees earning CAPACITY at the time of illness or injury
special handling of workers comp cases
providers are required to accept the workers comp allowable fee as payment in FULL for covered services rendered on cases involving on the job illnesses and injuries.
First report of injury forms
are completed by the provider, when the pt first seeks treatment for a work related injury.
if the employer disputes the legitimacy of the claim
you should still file the First Report of Injury.
a detailed narrative progress/supplemental report
should be filed to document any significant change in the workers medical or disability status.
a judicial dispute resolution process in which an appeals board makes a final determination.
a legal proceeding during which a party answers questions under oath (but not in open court)
a dispute resolution process in which a final determination is made by an impartial person who may not have judicial powers.
committed by an employer who misrepresents payroll amounts or employee classificaiton or who attempts to avoid higher insurance risk by transferring employees to a new business entity that is rated in a lower risk category.