Wherever you are in the country when you step outside your door and go to work you don’t expect to be sent home later in the day with a serious, debilitating injury that needs both medical treatment and time off work to recover. In most situations if an injury takes place in Illinois while at work the employer is required to pay you workers compensation. This is available to help you pay for all your medical treatment and keep you off work until you have fully recovered. Most employers in Illinois have to be covered by workers comp insurance so that money is available if you are unexpectedly injured. Employment in Illinois In 2015, according to U.S. Bureau of Statistics data, there were 5,852,710 people engaged in some kind of employment across the state. The average annual salary reached $49,970. That includes both part time and full time positions, while the mean hourly rate was $17.94. Out of this number, 388,500 work in a managerial capacity, which covers the following range of industries: Sales Production Transportation and movement of material Food preparation. What is Worker’s Compensation in Illinois? The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission is operated by the state, which takes part in administering the judicial process that helps to resolve compensation claims that are being disputed between employers and employees. The majority of workers hired in Illinois are covered under the Workers’ Compensation Act, which means they can seek compensation if they are injured at work. Workers comp provides medical care that is sufficient to restore the injury in the case of an accident and also provides benefits during the time the employee cannot go to work. Additional Workers Comp Information By law, the employer is required to pay the value of worker’s compensation so most employers purchase workers’ compensation insurance, so that the insurer can pay workers comp benefits on the employer’s behalf. The deadline set to file an Illinois Workers' Compensation claim is referred to as the Statute of Limitations. In Illinois, the workers comp claim has to be filed within 3 years from injury date. A sole proprietor who has no employees does not have to pay workers' compensation insurance, but if contractors come to work on someone else’s premises they are required to pay workers comp insurance. You May Need The Help Of An Attorney Even if you are working for an employer who has taken out workers’ compensation insurance as stipulated by Illinois Law, there are occasions when you are not paid the full amount when you are injured. It is at these times seeking advice and help from an experienced workers comp attorney ensures you get the compensation that you are rightfully entitled to. It’s not easy negotiating with an employer if you are an employee, but with the help from an attorney there is less stress involved, as all the hard work of getting what you deserve is done on your behalf.
