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Many employees work in industries where they are self-starting or independent contractors, and have no infrastructure set up to gain the benefits they need to take time off to deal with workplace injuries. Recently, an article was posted in Cleveland, where tattoo artists were interviewed and told a common and unfortunate story. In the tattoo business, artists often get pinched nerves, carpal tunnel, and chronic back and knee pain from crouching in unnatural positions for many hours. Most of these artists are independent contractors who may not have basic health coverage, and have not been educated about workers’ compensation. Keep reading below to see how you can protect yourself from a work- related painful injury.
Don’t Have Workers’ Compensation Set Up? Find Out How to Still Get Coverage
Sign up for workers’ comp for your company: Under Ohio law, any employer with more than one employee must apply for workers’ compensation. Make sure you are being covered by your employer.
Can I sign up as an independent contractor? Laws for whether an independent contractor can be covered under workers’ comp vary from state to state. Generally, workers’ comp is not provided, but there are more questions you need to ask yourself. Often employers categorize their employees as independent contractors to avoid giving them such benefits, but if certain factors are met, cause for compensation can be affirmed in court. Questions such as, How much do you use the employer’s equipment? How permanent is your relationship with the employer? How much of a necessity are you to the success of the business? All of these questions are helpful to ask yourself to determine if you are in fact entitled to workers’ comp and if you are actually supposed to be classified as an independent contractor at all.
If you have been injured at work, or need to start covering your employees, contact experienced Colombus workers comp attorneys at Larrimer and Larrimer LLC for more information about local work compensation laws.