Every year at Labor Day, citizens of the United States observe a holiday in honor of the working men and women who made this country great, and the hardships and sacrifices many had to endure along the way. Over several generations, through hard-fought battles between labor unions and various industries, the standard for work in America was set as we know it today. One of the key elements of this is the protections afforded to workers, not the least being workers compensation. It is, however, important to know that not every worker is eligible for this benefit.
Independent Contractors
Independent, for-hire contractors are almost always excluded from making claims for workers compensation Portland. The reason for this does make sense, however. In order to be licensed, most independent contractors are required to be bonded and heavily insured. These insurance policies usually cover areas that comprise most workers compensation claims.
Business Owners
In the same vein as independent contractors, business owners are excluded from workers compensation. The program is designed to protect employees from dangerous and negligent workplaces or practices. If a business owner has been negligent or made a workplace dangerous, that is his or her own fault and responsibility.
Employees of the Federal Government
It may surprise you to learn that federal employees are not technically eligible for workers compensation. That doesn’t mean they have no recourse to injury on the job. Rather, they are covered by a different system called FECA (the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act.) The process of submitting a claim is slightly different. It’s also important to know that this only covers civilian federal employees, not members of the armed services who have their own procedure through the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
Workers compensation is a necessary and vital program. It has its limits, however. For those not covered, there are generally other avenues to pursue if they are injured on the job.