Workers Comp for Remote Jobs in Pleasantville, NJ

The pandemic changed how we value remote workers in the United States. Virtual employees in Pleasantville, including those with hybrid schedules, are entitled to the same workers’ compensation benefits as their on-site co-workers. However, liability questions often arise if you’re injured while working from a coffee shop or in your home. Workers’ comp insurers might also question the ergonomics of your home office and the line between when your job stops and home life begins.

Overview of NJ Workers’ Comp Laws for Remote Employees

New Jersey law requires state and out-of-state employers to cover workers’ compensation for remote employees working from Pleasantville. You might be entitled to workers’ comp benefits if you work remotely from NJ for an out-of-state employer as a W-2 (not 1099) employee. With limited exceptions, virtual employees might demand the following benefits if they’re suffering from a job-related injury or illness, regardless of fault:

Medical: Injured remote workers are entitled to coverage for all reasonable and necessary medical treatment related to their condition. This includes hospital visits, surgeries, doctors’ bills, rehabilitation expenses, medical equipment, and medications.

Temporary Total Disability: If you’re suffering from an injury preventing you from working for more than 7 days, you’re entitled to 70% of your average wage until you can return to work.

Permanent Partial Disability: Injuries resulting in partial disability, such as significant back pain impacting your work hours, might entitle you to claim partial benefits for your lost earning capacity.

Permanent Total Disability: If you cannot return to work in any capacity due to a workplace injury, you might obtain 70% of your wages plus medical expenses for life. However, insurers will fight to deny these high-value claims. Experienced workers’ compensation lawyers in Pleasantville will generally negotiate lump-sum settlements in such cases.

Remote workers should immediately report any work-related injuries to their employers in writing, including taking photos of any dangerous conditions causing falls. Because there are seldom witnesses to home office injuries and supervisors are not immediately available to document your claims, you must take action to preserve all evidence that the injury was work-related.

Injuries Commonly Suffered by Remote Workers

Remote workers are often subject, sometimes at a higher rate, to overuse injuries related to computer work. This most commonly involves back and neck pain and wrist injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome. You might recover workers’ comp for injuries related to long-term computer use even if you provided your own chair and office equipment. Further, employees are entitled – within the bounds of their employment contract – to treat their designated home office like an on-site office. This means you could obtain damages for slip-and-falls in your bathroom, kitchen, or home office during work hours.

Retain a Workers’ Comp Lawyer for Remote Workplace Injuries

Even if you’re entitled to benefits, workers’ comp insurers often deny remote workers’ claims without evidence showing they sustained the injury during working hours. Contact us online or by phone to see how our workers’ compensation lawyers in Pleasantville can help prove your claim and get the same benefits as on-site employees.