After getting injured at work, you may be unsure of what your next course of action should be. Concerns about your physical wellbeing, financial status and capabilities can easily cloud your mind.
If your employer fires you in the process, your future might look even bleaker. Worker’s compensation appears less certain when you no longer work at the place where you got hurt. Despite the troubles you are enduring, you can ease the burden by knowing your rights and standing up for yourself.
At-will employment
Georgia law has an at-will employment clause. This means that your employer can fire you at any time, for any reason, as long as the cause is not illegal. Your worker’s compensation claim would be an illegal cause for termination, but your employer can try to get around this issue by finding another reason to fire you. If you run into employment problems after getting hurt, it is important to know where you stand as a former team member.
Worker’s compensation
As long as your employer has at least three personnel, you are eligible for worker’s compensation if you get hurt on the job. This insurance should cover your income benefits and medical fees in weekly installments, and it can carry on until 400 weeks pass. Once you have a worker’s compensation claim, your employer cannot get out of his or her duties by firing you. Termination can prolong your benefits if you have trouble finding a new job.
Your injury and employment status do not have to wreck your life. When you put your body on the line for your work, you should get something in return. It is up to you to make sure this happens.
