Suffering a workplace injury can be a terrifying event for a worker in Michigan. The worker’s first responsibility is to notify their work supervisor of the injury and seek immediate medical attention if it is needed. Once this has been taken care of, the worker can begin to fill out the necessary forms for workers’ compensation. But what about the worker’s employer? Are there specific steps that the employer must also go through to help a worker obtain workers’ compensation?
In the majority of states, including Michigan, employers are required to purchase workers’ compensation insurance for their employees. If the company is large enough they can act as the insurance agency themselves. But, besides providing coverage to their employees, employers must also carry out additional responsibilities, including placing a notice of compliance about workers’ compensation in a very public area of the company. They must also offer immediate medical treatment for any worker who is injured on the job.
The employer must also fill out the proper forms about the accident and send it to the nearest workers’ compensation office. A copy of the report must also be sent to the company’s workers’ compensation insurance company to inform them of the situation. Any company that fails to follow these crucial steps could face misdemeanor charges and a fine.
The company must also abide by all requests for more information about the case from the workers’ compensation board. These requests can be about the earnings of the employee before the accident and after, as well as any reports that may be needed to figure out what the employee’s condition is since the workplace injury occurred.
Source: www.findlaw.com, “Workers’ comp: employers’ responsibilities“, May 4, 2015
