Workers' compensation laws were enacted as a matter of public policy. They have a two-fold purpose.

First, to guarantee that a worker injured or made sick on the job will receive full medical, surgical and hospital treatments at no cost to him or her, as well as get recurring periodic payments to replace lost wages, or permanent disability benefits if he or she cannot return to work.

Second, to guarantee to employers who are mandated by law to purchase workers' compensation insurance or provide self-insurance (mostly government entities), that the covered worker will be barred from suing the employer for on the job injuries or illness UNLESS it was intentionally caused by the employer.

Workers' compensation is mandatory for almost all employers, and those who are exempt (again some government entities) are usually mandated to provide unlimited sick leave benefits with full pay (One example of this being the uniformed forces of the NYC Police and Fire Departments). All federal government civilian employees are covered by a program administered by the U.S. Department of Labor. Members of the military services and the U.S. Coast Guard are covered separately by veteran's health and related benefits.

Learn more about this author, Martin W. Schwartz.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

---

Add your voice

Know something about Defining the purpose of worker's compensation?
We want to hear your view. Write now!