What is workers' compensation? Mention some common features that all states' workers' compensation laws share.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Workers' compensation programs provide payments to workers who are injured on the job or who contract a work-related illness. The payments cover three areas: payments to replace lost wages, medical treatment and rehabilitation costs, and retraining to perform a different type of work (if necessary).
At present, all 50 states have workers' compensation laws. While specific terms and levels of coverage vary by state, all state laws share the following features:

1. All job-related injuries and illnesses are covered.
2. Coverage is provided regardless of who caused the injury or illness (i.e., regardless of who was "at fault").
3. Payments are usually made through an insurance program financed by employer-paid premiums.
4. A worker's loss is usually not covered fully by the insurance program. Most cash payments are at least two-thirds of the worker's weekly wage, but, together with disability benefits from Social Security, the payments may not exceed 80 percent of the worker's weekly wage.
5. Workers' compensation programs protect employees, dependents, and survivors against income loss resulting from total disability, partial disability, or death; medical expenses; and rehabilitation expenses.