It’s no joke having to take weeks off work because you have been involved in an accident or suffered from some work related illness. Injuries and illnesses, especially serious ones, can be expensive, let alone the lost wages. Fortunately, you should be covered by your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance, which is a requirement of nearly all employers in Michigan. If you are unsure of your rights and not getting much help from your workplace, it may be a good idea to contact an experienced workers’ comp attorney in your locality. Employment in Michigan Michigan is a populous state with many people working in manufacturing or related occupations. According to federal records from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were more than 4,200,000 workers in the state of Michigan as of May 2016. Those employed in production jobs like manufacturing were actually outnumbered by office workers. There were 445,000 people working in production in 2016 and 624,000 working in office type jobs. Other important occupations in Michigan are: sales ( 425,000 employees); food preparation (379,000 employees); transportation and material moving (274,000 employees; healthcare related jobs (268,000 employees); and education, training and library jobs (236,000 employees). Employers’ Responsibilities for Workers’ Compensation Insurance Few employers in Michigan are exempt from providing workers’ compensation benefits to their employees if they are injured or become ill while at work. Most employers will obtain workers’ compensation insurance through a private insurance carrier, although a few might also self-insure or obtain cover with a group fund. The actual regulations in Michigan are a little more complex than other states, so it is important for all employers to check and make sure with the Michigan Workers’ Compensation Board to see if they are exempt or not. In short, all employers that employ 3 or more employees at any one time, even if they are only working part time, need workers’ comp insurance. If they only employ 1 or 2 workers but they are working 35 hours or more (i.e. full time) they still need insurance. There are several other provisions which affect employers’ responsibilities for workers’ comp in Michigan. Employers must take out insurance if they employ agricultural workers for more than 35 hours a week if they are employed for more than 13 weeks or more consecutively. They must also be required to take out cover for domestic employees if they are employed for 35 hours or more a week and have been employed continuously for 13 weeks or more. Sole proprietors may decide to take out their own insurance or not, but partners are generally regarded as ‘employees’ and therefore must be covered by workers’ comp. insurance. An Attorney Can Expedite Your Workers’ Comp Claim Some employees find that workers’ compensation claims can be harder than expected. This may be because their claim is denied, their employer is found to be uninsured or the compensation offered does not adequately cover the medical costs incurred. If this is something that has happened to you or you just need advice or someone to expedite your claim, talk to an experienced workers’ comp attorney today.
