What Hurt Workers Should Understand About Disability Wages
After a workplace injury, you may be entitled to certain workers' compensation benefits. For example, most workers are covered for any needed medical treatments. Most hurt workers also qualify for special payments if they are ordered to stay home from work. This payment may be known by various names such as disability wages, workers' comp payments, benefits, and more. This type of payment is a unique feature of a hurt worker's insurance coverage, so read all about it below.
Disability Wages Are Not the Same as Income
You probably won't hear these payments referred to as income for several reasons. They are not earned because no work is being done — they are more like unemployment or Social Security benefits. However, they are not paid by a government agency — they are instead paid by the private insurance company your employer pays premiums to on a regular basis. Here are some other ways that disability payments are not the same as income:
- Direct deposits or checks are provided to the hurt workers without any deductions. You won't find your health insurance premium, FICA, 401(K), or other common paycheck deductions being made. Find out from your company how to deal with continuing your healthcare coverage for you and your family during your time out of work.
- No taxes are removed nor are any owed to your state or federal taxing authority. When tax time comes, you won't be taxed on any money received because of your injury and that includes any lump sum settlements. However, speak to a tax professional about interest and fines paid to you because of missing or late disability payments.
How Disability Wages Begin
After seeking medical treatment for a work injury and filing a workers' compensation claim, you may be told to see a workers' compensation doctor. If the doctor decides that you need to stay home and recuperate from your injury, they will order it done and the insurer will be told of the order. Once ordered, you can expect payments to begin shortly. Some payments may be paid weekly but many workers' compensation insurers pay you in advance based on the doctor's orders. For example, if you are ordered to remain at home for six weeks, you may be paid six weeks of wages all at once.
The amount you are paid is not as much as you were previously earning from working at your job. The amount you get can vary.
If your payments are denied, late, the wrong amount, or missing, speak to a workers' compensation lawyer right away. For more information, contact a workers' compensation attorney near you.
Share