The holiday season generally brings with it numerous openings for seasonal employment.
All over New Jersey, businesses need to hire seasonal workers to handle the extra workload. New Jersey also has plenty of seasonal labor to spare if you consider the students who take a break from college activities during the holidays.
If you are a seasonal worker in New Jersey, one question that might come to mind is if you are entitled to workers’ compensation just as a full-time employee would be. To answer this question simply, if you are injured on the job as a seasonal employee, you are probably entitled to pursue workers’ compensation benefits.
This means that if you slip and fall on the way to buy coffee during a break, you might not be entitled to workers’ comp, but if you were injured while lifting retail equipment, you could be entitled to compensation just like a part-time employee or full-time employee.
How Seasonal Employees can Get Injured on the Job
By the nature of their work, seasonal employees work occasionally and for a finite period of time. In many instances, this means that they do not have the necessary experience to take all the necessary precautionary measures during their work. Also, due to their temporary status, a lot of employers do not give these workers as much training as they give to permanent staff.
As a result, seasonal workers can more easily become exposed to overexertion injuries caused by continuous pushing, lifting, carrying, and pulling. For workers employed in cashier roles, they might be exposed to repetitive stress injuries related to continuously retrieving and scanning items for elongated periods.
Other types of seasonal work that might cause injuries include loading large items, carrying out deliveries, and implementing light assembly.
What to do After a Workplace Injury
If you are a seasonal worker injured in the workplace, there are steps you should immediately take to make sure your workers’ compensation claim goes smoothly.
The first thing you should do is to seek medical attention for your injuries. If you do not seek medical attention for your injuries, your employer and its insurer might allege that the injury is not a serious one that requires compensation.
You should notify your employer of your injuries as soon as possible. You can do this by filing a report. By filing a report, you leave a paper trail that can serve as evidence of your injuries.
The next thing you should do is officially start the workers’ compensation claim process. You can do this by filling out the relevant workers’ compensation form. After this, you might need to see the doctor designated by your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance company.
If at any stage of the process, your employer is not cooperating, make sure you get in touch with a New Jersey workers’ compensation attorney.
Types of Injuries Covered by Workers’ Comp
One thing you need to note is whether your injury is covered by New Jersey’s workers’ compensation laws. Like most other states, NJ compensates you for injuries on the job and diseases that result from your work and other occupational conditions.
To get coverage, the injury you sustain has to be one that requires medical treatment beyond ordinary first aid. Also, the injury or disease needs to come about during the scope and course of your employment.
NJ Seasonal Workers’ Compensation Benefits
Seasonal workers get the same compensation benefits as normal full-time workers. So, if your workers’ compensation claim is successful, you would be entitled to medical benefits, wage benefits for partial or total disability, and even death benefits for your survivors in case of death.
Medical Benefits
Your employer is responsible for the medical costs related to your injuries or disease. These medical costs include surgery, doctor visits, physical therapy, and appliances like hearing aids or crutches.
When you get to the doctor, inform him or her that you are seeking treatment for work-related injuries. This will make the doctor bill your employer or its workers’ compensation insurer for your treatment.
Consult with an Experienced New Jersey Workers’ Comp Attorney Today
If you were injured while working as a seasonal employee, the workplace injury lawyers at The Law Offices of Craig A. Altman are here to help. Our team of experienced and skilled attorneys possesses a deep understanding of NJ workers’ comp laws. Contact our office today to schedule a consultation at 856-327-8899 or fill out a quick contact form so a member of our legal team can follow up with you.
