It has only been four years since 13 county employees died in a mass shooting in California, and only weeks since 11 city workers in another state lost their lives in another shooting incident in a municipal center. How safe do you feel at work? Does your employer take responsibility for the safety of you and your co-workers?
Most common dangers for workplace injuries listed by OSHA
For some jobs in California and throughout the U.S., there is a natural risk with the duties workers must perform. Any job can result in workers being injured, but some types of employment is riskier than others. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is tasked with ensuring workplaces maintain as safe an atmosphere as possible. When there are workplace accidents, OSHA conducts investigations into how and why they happened. Employers can be cited for lapses. OSHA recently released the most common violations of workplace safety protocol in 2018. This information is important for workers as is considering a legal filing after they have been hurt.
Potential workers' compensation change sparks ride share proposal
Worker categorization and how it affects independent contractors in California is continuously discussed in the context of workers' compensation because the situation is a fluid one. Employers who prefer having independent contractors derive multiple benefits from such an arrangement. One is that they are shielded from needing to pay for workers' compensation insurance. Recent laws that have passed in the State Assembly have raised the level of urgency for employers who are seeking alternatives to so-called "gig" employees being labeled as employees. This is a concern for these workers when they are injured on the job and they should keep track of changes as they happen.
Workers' compensation disputes and a medical evaluation
California workers who have been injured on the job will often need workers' compensation benefits to provide them with various benefits as they recuperate. However, not all cases are clear and there are frequently disputes between the employer, the insurance company and the worker. For many, the determination as to whether there should be an approval for workers' compensation benefits will need to be made via a comprehensive medical evaluation. Understanding what the law says about this is key when preparing for the case. This law applies when the employee has legal representation.
Gig employees could soon be eligible for workers' compensation
There is a growing number of Californians who are not typical employees and are considered contractors. Increasingly, they are being included in the "gig" economy and becoming injured on the job has opened a host of concerns as to whether they should be eligible for workers' compensation benefits. This issue and other work-related rights has been debated frequently, especially with the growing popularity of remote jobs, Lyft and other ride share services. Perceived attempts on the part of employers to avoid the cost of having a worker classified as an employee is also a problem.
Beware of the job hazards of nursing while you care for others
Many people say nursing is a calling, which is the opportunity to do something you want to do rather than having to do it. If you are a nurse in a medical facility in California, you will likely focus more on making an impact than on earning a paycheck. However, the reality is that most people need that paycheck to take care of themselves and their families.
