When an employee is injured on the job in California, there is always plenty of emphasis on what that employee did in the immediate aftermath of the situation: Did he report it to his employer? Did he seek proper medical treatment? Did he fill out the proper forms? Well, as much focus as there might be on the employee, there are some things that the employer should be doing as well, both before and after work injuries occur.
Employer responsibilities
First and foremost, almost all employers are required to have workers’ compensation insurance. Employers that do not have the appropriate workers’ compensation insurance can be reported to state government authorities and, in fact, may be subject to fines and penalties. Additionally, employers must explain workers’ compensation to their employees and have information about the process for submitting claims readily available.
In situations in which an on-the-job injury actually occurs, employers must provide the injured worker with a workers’ compensation claim form as soon as possible – within one working day, if at all possible. Employers must also authorize proper medical treatment and payment for that treatment. Employers are prohibited from docking a worker’s pay to cover these costs.
Yes, there are plenty of steps that injured employees will need to take to make sure that they are progressing through the workers’ compensation process correctly. But, employers have their responsibilities as well. If you have suffered an on-the-job injury in California, be sure to know how workers’ compensation and your employer’s obligations will be a part of your physical recovery and, hopefully, swift return to work.