Oct 3, 2019

Can Part-Time Employees Receive Workers’ Compensation Benefits?

At most companies, full-time employment entitles people to benefits that part-time employees do not receive. Whereas part-time employees may only earn their wages, full-time employees may get health insurance, paid time off, and other perks. Is workers’ compensation just another benefit that part-time employees miss out on?

Workers’ compensation differs from other employment benefits because it is required by law. Employees do not have to pay into coverage, as is the case with health insurance or a retirement plan. Almost every employer in the United States must have workers’ compensation insurance in place.

Part-time workers can be separated into three categories: Employees who work for a company but at limited hours, employees who only work at certain times of the year, and freelancers and independent contractors. These classes of employees have different rights with regard to workers’ compensation.

Employees Who Work Part-Time Hours

Although part-time employees do not work 40-hour weeks, they are still full employees of their workplace. They earn regular wages and pay taxes — within this type of employment, their limited schedule does not affect their ability to recover workers’ compensation benefits in the event of an injury.

Seasonal Workers

Seasonal workers are employees who only work at a company during specific points of the year. Hiring seasonal workers is common in the retail industry because stores are typically busier at certain points of the year. Many retail businesses hire more people during the holiday season to account for the high volume of people who will be buying their products, contacting their customer service department, and visiting their stores.

Although seasonal workers are employed temporarily, they are full employees of the company they work for. Seasonal employees are often entitled to workers’ compensation benefits.

Independent Contractors

Independent contractors and freelancers differ from other “part-time” workers because they are not technically employed by the companies they perform work for. Therefore, independent contractors are most often not entitled to workers’ compensation benefits.

In most cases, any worker who is fully employed and earning wages from a company can receive workers’ compensation benefits. If you are unsure of your employment status and if it allows for workers’ compensation coverage, consult with our attorneys. Your employer cannot deny your claim based solely on the fact that you work part-time or temporary hours.

Contact Hansford McDaniel – Workers’ Compensation Attorneys to speak about your workers’ compensation claim. We can be reached via phone at 770-922-3660, or you can send us a message using our form.