Whether because they enjoy the schedule flexibility or they simply like the extra income, many people work more than one job. If you are injured at one job and forced to miss some time from both, can you collect workers’ compensation through each job, or will you miss out on income because you can only file through the insurance of the company at which you were injured? Below, we explain how workers’ compensation is paid out if you work multiple jobs but need to file for injury compensation.
Workers’ Compensation When Working Multiple Jobs
If you are injured at one job, you are not going to be able to file workers’ compensation claims through multiple jobs. You’re only going to file one workers’ compensation claim. This leaves many people wondering if they will be shortchanged in terms of lost wages.
For example, let’s say that you earn $3,000 a month from one job and $1,000 a month from another job, and you end up suffering a severe injury at your lower-paying job that will prevent you from working either job for multiple months. You’ll file a workers’ compensation claim with the insurance provider of the company you were injured at. Lost wage claims are capped at roughly 66 percent, so does this mean you’ll only be eligible for $666 a month because you were injured at your lower-paying job?
Fortunately, lost wage claims factor in all sources of employed income, so your lost wage claim will be based on your income from all of your jobs. So since you bring in $4,000 a month between your two jobs, a lost wage claim would pay out $2,640 a month.
It’s important to be very up front with your lawyer when discussing your sources of income and your ability to work these jobs. Workers’ compensation is designed to help offset lost income, so if you have extra sources of income that need to be factored into your lost wage calculation, let them know. Similarly, if you are too injured to work one position, but you can perform some light duty work at your other part-time job, your lawyer needs to know this, as your total wage loss pay will be less if you are still able to earn a partial income while recovering.
The most important thing that clients need to hear is that they should not work one job if they are collecting injury compensation from another job. If you are physically capable of working your other job, that’s great, and your lawyer can sort out the paperwork to ensure you are paid the right amount. But if you are collecting a full workers’ compensation paycheck while also earning undisclosed income on the side, you are defrauding the workers’ compensation system. Not only could this lead to the termination of your injury benefits, but it’s also possible that you could face criminal charges. If you can work in a partial or light duty capacity at one of your jobs, you should do so, but you’ll need to inform your lawyer so that you don’t end up causing problems for your claim.
So to recap, even though you’ll only be able to file a claim with one insurance provider after a work injury, all sources of work income will be accounted for when building a claim. A lost wage claim will factor in all forms of income, but calculating exactly how much you’re owed can be tricky, especially if you work irregular hours or collect overtime. That’s where a workers’ compensation lawyer can be a major resource. We’ll ensure you get every penny you’re owed no matter how complex your claim is.
For more information, or for help with your workers’ compensation claim, reach out to the team at Hey Workers today at (844) 439-9675.
