An article recently published at truth-out.org discusses the latest efforts of our political leaders to reduce the benefits and rights of injured workers. We’ve summarized the article below, but we encourage you to visit the link at the bottom of this post to read the article in its entirety.
Though employers have long been willing to pay for workers compensation coverage, its no secret that they have done so very reluctantly. Their reluctance is presumably caused by the cost of workers compensation coverage and the frustrations of dealing with the work injury claims process. Though the coverage would provide protection for the employer in the event of an injury, most employers could not get past the cost burden of workers compensation benefits. Some say this has been especially true for business start-ups as they tend to have limited capital and attempt to keep their overhead costs at a minimum.
“As labor has weakened and Republicans have won control of more and more statehouses, states have slowly chipped away at workers’ compensation benefits… Since just 2003, more than 30 states have passed laws that have ‘reduced benefits for injured workers, created hurdles for medical care or made it more difficult for workers to qualify.”
For these and other reasons, workers have seen their workers compensation benefits significantly reduced. OSHA estimates that current workers compensation coverage only accounts for 21% of lost wages and medical bills incurred by employees who have been injured while working.
Read more about this concerning trend at the article’s source: http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/36491-the-war-on-workers-comp