Almost any worker in any role can suffer from back pain. Working as an employee often involves sitting in a certain position or engaging in certain repetitive actions for an extended period of time. This can lead to back pain for many people, and it can lead to excruciating periods when work feels impossible.
Dealing with back pain in the California workplace
Your employer's duties after you get injured at work
When you get injured in the workplace, you may have to take unpaid leave in order to recover physically and emotionally. The government recognizes that employee injuries in the workplace can come at a great cost because of this, so they ensure that nonexempt companies have a legal duty to take out workers' compensation insurance. This means that when one of the company's employees suffers from an injury, they have the opportunity to file a workers' compensation claim and get reimbursed for the expenses that they were subject to as a direct result of the injury.
Returning to work after a job-related injury
If you suffered from an injury at work, it is likely that you had to take unpaid leave in order to recover. While workers' compensation insurance can go a long way toward helping you to recoup the wages that you lost as well as reimburse medical premiums that you needed to pay, there are some additional protections that you are entitled to as a worker who was injured on the job.
Rights to rehabilitation as an injured worker
If you have been injured while you were at work, it is likely that you had to take unpaid leave in order to recover, and you may have also had to spend a significant amount on medical bills. When you suffer an injury due to your work obligations, your employer has the legal obligation to support you in your recovery through what is known as workers' compensation.
Employers shell out over $1 billion weekly for worker injuries
A recent Workplace Safety Index report published by Liberty Mutual shows that American employers paid out over $1 billion each week in 2015 for workers' injuries.
Tesla accused of underreporting safety issues
Electric car manufacturer Tesla has been accused of underreporting safety issues in the workplace, including known hazards to employee health and wellness. The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) is now carrying out an investigation to look into the claims.
What you are entitled to after a work injury
If you have been injured while carrying out your work activities, it is likely that you will have to take leave in order to recover. This can be a very stressful time for many injured employees, since they may worry about the rising medical bills as well as the lost wages that they are suffering.
Shoulder accidents that occurred at work
Accidents and injuries can occur in any workplace, from desk jobs to construction sites. The unfortunate thing about getting injured at work is that it can lead to needing to take time off work, and therefore, you may suffer from lost wages through no fault of your own.
Repetitive strain injuries among scientists
It has been reported that many scientists are afraid to draw attention to their work-related injuries out of fear that it might hurt their career prospects, according to The Scientist Magazine. It is common for scientists to be engaging in repetitive motion actions when carrying out experiments in the lab. However, this risk for injury as well as the importance of prevention and the treatment of such injuries is often underestimated and even ignored by employers.
Returning to work after a work-related injury
It can be an extremely stressful and frustrating experience to have been injured at work. Ironically, getting injured as a result of the tasks that you carried out at work can mean that you have to stop working for a time and lose wages as a result. Luckily, there are protections in place for workers so that they don't have to suffer financially while they are recovering and are not able to make an income.
