Are You Entitled to Workers’ Comp in Atlanta if You Only Work Part-Time?

Most of us can remember our first job. It was probably at a local store for just a few hours a week. Maybe your parents insisted that you get a job. Or, perhaps you wanted to make money to save up for a car. Regardless of why you got your first job, you were probably led to believe that part-time employees are treated differently. Most employers certainly treat part-time employees differently than full-time workers.

For example, if you’re part-time, you may not be entitled to vacation and sick time. You may not qualify for medical benefits. And, you probably aren’t allowed to participate in any kind of profit sharing or 401K. However, one thing that isn’t affected by your being part-time is workers’ comp in Atlanta. No matter how many hours you work, your employer is required to carry workers’ comp insurance on your behalf.

If you work part-time and get hurt on the job, you need to contact an experienced workers’ comp lawyer in Atlanta. You’re entitled to certain benefits as long as you meet certain criteria. A lawyer can help make sure your claim is handled properly from the start.

Why Are Part-Time Employees Eligible for Workers’ Comp?

You would think that, in order to qualify for workers’ comp, you’d have to work a certain number of hours per week. It would make sense that, as with most other employment benefits, there would be a difference between full-time and part-time employees.

However, the only purpose of workers’ comp is to make sure that injured employees aren’t hung out to dry. If you get hurt at work, you have a right to be taken care of. Your employer should arrange and pay for your medical care. You should also receive replacement wages.

Part-time workers are just as likely to get hurt at work as anyone else. Just because you work fewer hours, that doesn’t mean you aren’t at risk of an injury. While the odds are lower because you aren’t at work as much as other workers, the risk is still there.

Even Teenagers are Eligible for Workers’ Comp in Atlanta

Just as being part-time doesn’t affect your workers’ comp, neither does your age. Even if you’re a teenager working part-time after school, you’re eligible for workers’ comp benefits.

One would hope this would be the case. Imagine a young man, about 17 years old, seriously injuring himself at his job. He could sustain a life-changing injury that would affect the rest of his life.

You can’t risk letting young people get hurt at work. There has to be a mechanism in place that protects all employees – even young ones – from injury and illness. They should the same rights to medical benefits and replacement wages as anyone else.

What Benefits are Employees Entitled to Workers’ Comp in Atlanta?

Your Atlanta workers’ comp lawyer knows what benefits you’re entitled to. In Georgia, if you get hurt at work, you’re entitled to certain benefits. These include the following:

  • Medical Benefits
  • Temporary Total Disability – If you’re unable to work, you’re entitled to receive these benefits. In Georgia, you’ll receive 2/3 of your average weekly wages. These benefits last for either 400 weeks or until you’re ready to return to work – whichever comes first.
  • Temporary Partial Disability Benefits – If you’re unable to earn as much as you did before your injury, you may be eligible for these benefits. This is for people who end up on light duty, part-time hours, or a lower-paying position as a result of their work injury. You’ll receive 2/3 of the wages that you’re losing. These benefits will last for up to 350 weeks or until you return to your prior position and pay.
  • Permanent Partial Disability Benefits – If you end up having a certain part of your body totally and permanently injured, you may get these benefits. You’ll receive a certain number of weeks depending on the body part you injured.

Contact a Workers’ Comp Lawyer in Atlanta Today

If you get hurt at work, you need to contact an experienced workers’ comp lawyer in Atlanta. They can make sure your case is handled properly from the start. They can also make sure you get the benefits you’re entitled to.

Call Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Coalition today and schedule your free initial consultation. Your employer will have lawyers working for them. And you should too. You work hard for your money. Your employer should protect you if you get hurt on the job.