Your employee is under stress. He or she says the day to day job is causing it. Does this employee have the right to file a workers compensation claim?
To some, this can seem like a strange situation. For the business owner, there is an understanding that the job may be hard to do and create stressful situations. Yet, you may not recognize that this is something that could impact an employee's health. It is important to maintain proper business insurance including workers' compensation insurance.
When Does Workers Compensation Insurance Cover an Employee?
Workers' compensation can offer some coverage for illness-related losses an employee suffers. The place of employment has to specifically cause that type of loss. Loss examples may include illness that requires medical attention or lost time at work. The key here is proving that the illness occurred as a result of a person’s presence in a specific job environment.
This is where it is difficult for any employee to prove that his or her stress is due to exposure at work. For example, an employee who experiences headaches and migraines, perhaps develops a respiratory illness, or has heart-related conditions due to stress may believe he or she can file a workers' compensation claim. Allow them to do so. Then, your insurer will go to work. They have a very specific process to ensure that claims only receive compensation when they are truly brought on by the illness.
In this example, the employee must prove that only the job and the job’s tasks caused his or her illness. That can be nearly impossible in some cases. Stress at home can be a factor. The individual may have had high blood pressure or conditions like being overweight. The individual will need to show a specific link between the illness and the work.
What Your Role Is
As a business owner, your goal is not to fight with employees who wish to make such claims. That can lead to concerns. Instead, put your trust in your business insurance agents. Provide the documentation necessary for the employee to report the claim. Your insurer will likely require proof from a medical doctor. He or she might require proof of financial loss, too.
It is important to have proper Florence workers' compensation coverage as a business owner. It is there to safeguard against these types of losses. It can be one of the most important investments you make.