If you have been injured while doing your job in Alabama, you may be worrying how you are going to cope financially. You may be covered by your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance which should pay you your medical costs and wage losses related to your injuries. Talk to a workers’ comp attorney if not sure of your rights under Alabama law. Employment in Alabama There are 25 employers in the state that employ more than 2,000 workers' and only 10 that employ more than 4,000. The biggest employer by employee numbers is the Redlands Arsenal, with by far the largest number, 64,000. Redlands Arsenal, together with a smaller facility, the Anniston Army Depot, are U.S. Army bases. Employees at these two bases may be army personnel or support staff. The second largest employer in the state is the University of Alabama Hospital, with over 8,000 employees. Two other hospitals make the list of top 5 employers, with the only other one being the Alabama Power Company. Alabama Workers’ Comp Insurance Requirements for Employers There are some exemptions to required workers' compensation coverage. Exempt employers include those who: employ less than 5 employees; employ farm workers; employ domestic workers; employ casual workers; are municipalities that have a population of less than 2,000 Even though they are exempt from the requirement, they may decide to insure themselves for workers’ compensation in the event of an accident while one of their employee is at work. Any employee who is injured at work and whose employer has workers’ compensation insurance must file a claim within the time frame of two years of the injury in order for the claim to be recognized under Alabama law. Other Workers’ Compensation Insurance Provisions in Alabama Although many employers in Alabama who are not exempt as mentioned above do need to provide workers’ compensation insurance for their employees, there is no specific designated way they need to do this. By far the majority of employers with a low to medium risk of accidents will take out an insurance policy with a private insurance carrier, who must be approved by the state’s Department of Insurance. Employers who are in the medium to high risk category may insure themselves through what is called the Assigned Risk Pool if they have already been denied cover twice before. The Pool is a commercial insurance agreement but is administered by the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI). A smaller number of employers may decide to acquire insurance cover in a group fund or even self-insure if qualified to do so. Your Options for Legal Representation If you are an employee who has been injured while at work anywhere in Alabama and are not happy with what you have been offered as compensation after filing a workers’ comp claim, you should contact an experienced workers’ comp attorney as soon as possible. This also applies if you have an employer who has no insurance or if your claim has been denied for any reason.
