Does workers’ compensation apply to me at my summer job?
During the summer months, many employers in Montgomery and Bucks Counties hire temporary, seasonal employees. Though these employees are only at their posts for a limited amount of time, in Pennsylvania, the workers’ compensation laws that apply to full-time employees usually also apply to them.
If you were injured while working a seasonal job, there are a few things you should be aware of to ensure that you get all of the workers’ compensation benefits you deserve.
• Even if it seems like the accident that caused your injury was your fault, you are likely still eligible for compensation. All too often, seasonal employees are not properly trained or given adequate protections.
• All wages should be taken into account when calculating workers’ compensation benefits. So, if you work multiple jobs and are injured at one of them, the benefits you receive should reflect the amount of income you are losing in total, not just the money you would have earned while working at the job where the injury occurred.
• Even if you are able to keep working at the job where you were injured, you can probably collect wages lost because you are unable to work other jobs you may have. For example, if you break your leg while working at your office job, you could get workers’ compensation benefits if the broken leg prevented you from working at your other job as a golf caddy, even if you can still work at the office.
• If the injury is a very serious one that will prevent you from working for a year or more, you may be eligible for additional disability benefits from Social Security.
• Some employers will try to tell you that you are or were an independent contractor and are therefore ineligible for benefits. Our experience suggests that this is rarely the case when it comes to seasonal employees. It is very likely you should have been classified as an employee and are due benefits.
• Though it is possible to represent yourself in a workers’ compensation case, hiring an experienced attorney can help level the playing field and ensure that you are getting all the benefits you deserve.
The attorneys at Louis P. Lombardi II & Associates, P.C., have the experience and knowledge to successfully guide your workers’ compensation claim. We serve the Philadelphia metropolitan area with convenient locations in the city of Philadelphia, Plymouth Meeting, Montgomery County and Chalfont, Bucks County. Contact us today at (610)239-7600 or (888)818-4343 to arrange a consultation.