When you are a temporary worker, your work life is transitory by definition, because you don’t spend more than a few days or a few months at any job. However, that doesn’t mean that you aren’t entitled to the same protections that permanent workers have, especially when it comes to workers’ compensation protection.
Let’s take a look at what responsibilities a staffing agency has when it comes to ensuring that every job that you accept provides you with protection if you are injured at the workplace.
Workers’ Compensation and Staffing Agencies
Your staffing agency is responsible for providing you with the right amount of workers’ compensation coverage based on the type of job you are going to perform.
Before assigning you to a job, your staffing agency must take several steps as it relates to a client’s temporary position, including:
- Type of Work – It’s vital that your staffing agency inform you what type of work you’ll be performing at your temporary position. That’s because the state classifies workers’ compensation under different risk categories, and higher-risk jobs require more insurance coverage. So a person being sent to complete a warehouse or construction assignment would require more insurance than a person who is assigned to a desk.
- Keep Accurate Records – Your staffing agency should also keep good records of where you have worked, the number of hours you worked at that job, and the amount of pay you received. This is vital information that helps insurance companies set their rates for workers’ compensation insurance. If these records are not accurate, then the staffing agency may end up having inadequate workers’ compensation insurance, which could affect you if you are hurt on the job.
- Ensuring Direct-Hire Temporary Workers Are Protected – It is your staffing agency’s responsibility to make sure that any company that hires you on a direct-hire basis has the appropriate workers’ compensation insurance to protect you. Direct-hire refers to temporary work that will turn into permanent work at a company. In these instances, the hiring company must provide proof to the staffing agency that there is sufficient workers’ compensation insurance to cover any injuries you may suffer based on the job that you are being asked to perform.
Getting Legal Help
The government established workers’ compensation as the exclusive remedy for employees who are hurt on the job, and that includes temporary staff. If you are in a situation in which your staffing agency did not provide you with correct information regarding the availability of workers’ compensation at a temporary job, and you were hurt on that job without receiving any compensation, the law firm of Sternberg | Forsythe, P.A. can help you get justice. We can also help you if your staffing agency was not truthful about carrying worker’s compensation, or carried less worker’s compensation insurance that was needed. Please contact us today to schedule a free consultation.
Additional Reading
Helpful Tips To Protect Your Workers’ Compensation Benefits
Can You Get Workers’ Comp Insurance if You’re Self-Employed?