Even when your home is also your office, your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance could still cover your care if you sustain an injury.
Knowing your rights as an employee can help you get the coverage you deserve if you injure yourself on the job.
What qualifies as a work-related injury when you work from home?
According to OSHA, workers’ compensation is responsible for your care if an injury occurs at home and the following two conditions apply:
The home environment did not cause the injury, and it was instead a direct result of doing your required work
You were performing the job you get paid to do
What are some common injuries remote workers experience?
Your available workspace, members of the household, and possibly less than optimal equipment impact your ability to perform your job duties. This arrangement makes you vulnerable to various physical afflictions. Some widely reported injuries that may qualify for workers’ compensation are:
Back and neck pain
Slip and fall accidents
Repetitive motion injuries
Eyestrain
Auto accidents while running work-related errands
What should you do if you sustain an injury while working at home?
Working remotely usually means fewer witnesses to an accident. If you get hurt while doing your job, you should immediately document the situation. Take pictures, write down what happened, and notify your doctor that the problem is work-related when seeking medical treatment.
Notify your supervisor immediately if performing your job duties from home contributes to an injury. Your employer is responsible for initiating a worker’s compensation claim with their insurance company.
