08 Jul Worker’s Compensation for Janitors
Walk down the hall of most office buildings, and you’ll likely notice one thing: cleanliness. Floors are clean, windows are streak-free, plants are watered, and no trash is found. This does not occur all by itself, as many humans are messy people who are nothing more than careless dirt movers. But thanks to janitors, this kind of order does exist, due to their hard work and dedication. It isn’t easy work, by any means. Heavy lifting, repetitive work, and all those chemicals combine to form a perfect storm of injury potential.
In a perfect world, accidents could and would be avoided through the simple steps that many janitors take (or are encouraged to take!) on a daily basis: lift with your knees and not with your back, don’t walk across a wet floor, use step stools and ladders according to the manufacturer’s directions. However, this is not a perfect world, and accidents and injuries do occur. When this happens, worker’s compensation comes to the rescue.
As janitorial work requires the full use of the entire body, it is likely that any janitor who is involved in an accident will require some time off of work to recover properly. Worker’s compensation will provide the finances needed for medical care and any related costs, as well as partial salary compensation for the injured worker while they are recuperating and off the job. As part of the compensation package, the worker often relinquishes his or her right to sue the company for any damages that are a result of the injury accident, which provides a level of financial protection for the business owner as well.
Like any insurance policy, all of this coverage comes at a cost to the business owner, and it is not cheap. But before you begin wavering back and forth between offering coverage or not, it should be noted that in most states, it is a requirement that you carry worker’s compensation insurance for any employee (even seasonal employees) if you wish to legally operate in that state. Policies can usually be obtained from one of three sources: 1.) The state’s division of worker’s compensation 2.) A trade union or 3.) a private underwriter who offers a policy accepted by the state. Choosing a provider is an important step that can affect both cost and type of coverage, so be sure to ask many questions and discuss your options with more than one provider.
Janitors are at increased risk for injury on the job as compared to employees in other professions, and are therefore more likely to need worker’s compensation at some point during their career. So rather than just cross your fingers and wait, hoping that nothing bad will befall an employee (which is probably illegal too, since most states require you to carry a policy to operate); speak with an agent who specializes in worker’s compensation insurance today to ensure that you, your business, and your employees are financially protected in the event that an accident or injury does occur.
All information is general in nature and is intended to provide guidance only. It is up to you to request specific coverage options, the agency and agent do not bear this responsibility. Always read the policy if there is a questions about coverage or a claim. If any information herein should conflict with your actual policy’s specific language, the policy language will be controlling.
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