People take temporary work for all kinds of reasons. Although these workers may not have the same full package of benefits as full-time employees, they do have the same right to a safe work environment. However, a recent study has found that temporary workers have a higher overall injury rate on the job than permanent workers.
The study, which was conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), considered the rate of workers’ compensation claims in Ohio between temporary and permanent workers. The analysis looked at over 1.3 million workers’ compensation claims that were accepted between 2001 and 2013. The conclusion was that temporary workers had a higher overall injury rate than permanent workers, and that the differences were more pronounced for certain industries and injury events. The study also noted that injured temp workers were “younger and had less tenure” than injured permanent workers.
If you’ve been injured on the job as a temporary worker, it’s important that you understand your legal rights. Call our workers’ compensation lawyers at Brooks Law today to learn what steps to take if you are injured as a temporary worker.
Are Temporary Workers Covered by Workers’ Compensation?
In Massachusetts, people who work for temp or staffing agencies are covered by the same laws as other workers. They have the right to file a workers’ compensation claim if they are injured on the job, as well as the right to the name, address, and phone number of the agency’s workers’ compensation carrier. (Note that in most cases, it is the temporary/staffing agency that is considered the employer, and therefore the injured workers would file a claim against the agency’s workers’ compensation policy.)
What to Do If You Are Injured on the Job as a Temp Worker
If you are injured on the job as a temporary worker, it’s important that you take certain steps to protect your right to workers’ compensation benefits. These include:
Document the details of the injury. Write down what happened, and when and where it happened. Take photos of your injuries and the accident scene. Get the names and contact information for anyone who witnessed you getting injured.
Report the injury to your employer as soon as possible. Report it to both the staffing agency and the manager at the site where you are working.
Seek medical care. If seeking non-emergency care, be sure to seek care from an approved provider.
Talk to an attorney. Call an experienced workers’ compensation attorney to talk about your legal rights after an accident at a temp job. A knowledgeable lawyer can review your case for free and answer questions about what you should do next.
Need Legal Help? Contact an Experienced Workers’ Comp Attorney
If you have questions about the workers’ compensation claims process as a temporary worker who is injured on the job, don’t hesitate to reach out to our attorneys at Brooks Law. Our Massachusetts workers’ compensation lawyers have extensive experience advocating for temporary workers such as yourself.