When you are injured on the job, or suddenly become ill, you may become worried about missing work. If you only work part-time or have to take off for an extended time, it is understandable to have such concerns. You may think that if you do not work, you will not get paid, or that if you are out for too long you may lose your job. However, you may qualify for either workers' compensation or various forms of disability. There are a number of factors that allow you to do so, and some of those factors are covered below.
Workers' Compensation
If sidelined by an injury or an illness that happened on the job, you may qualify for workers' compensation. This is payment for any time missed at work due to being hurt or sick. To receive payment, you must be an employee, and your injury or sickness must be work-related. In addition, some states may require the company to have insurance for workers compensation. However, the laws vary from state to state.
Disability
An employee may also qualify for disability, either short- or long-term. The primary difference between this and workers' compensation is that the former covers injuries that happen outside of work or are not related to the job. Short-term typically covers up to two weeks, while long-term could stretch over a number of months.
With disability, an employee is often required to work with a company for a specific amount of time, as a fulltime worker. In addition, the payout is often a percentage of what he or she normally makes, typically a minimum of 50%. After the short-term period ends, if you are still considered unable to work, you may qualify for long-term disability, which is up to a city or state employment board.
Sick Leave
If your injury or illness is more temporary, there is always the option of taking sick leave. These are days allocated to usually fulltime employees who suddenly become ill or involved in an accident. For new employees, it could be anywhere from 3-5 days, with more accruing as they progress within the company.
Part-timers normally have to take off at their own risk, since they do not normally get paid leave. Therefore, when they call out sick, they do so with the consequence of receiving a lesser paycheck.
The rules and regulations may vary, so when taking a new job or if you face an upcoming medical procedure, you may want to consult with your human resources director.
