Are Injured Workers More Likely to Get Fired?

A recent study of U.S. nursing home workers found that injured workers are more likely to lose their jobs within six months of an injury. In fact, when compared to workers without on-the-job injuries, the injured workers had more than double the risk of being fired. Workers with multiple injuries were also more than twice as likely to quit as their uninjured counterparts, making the job-loss figures for injured workers even higher. Contact a Massachusetts Work Injury Lawyer Today.

Most work injuries occur during the first months of a new job. If an injured worker quits or is fired, the risk of being injured again, in the first few months of the replacement job, is also high. This type of job turnover increases the chances of multiple injuries. There is a higher risk that the injured worker will find himself or herself in a similar situation again, within the first few months of the “new” job. Of course, worker protections are supposed to prevent job loss following a work-related injury, but federal and state regulations are not always followed.

Researchers from the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston conducted a study of nursing home workers. The study analyzed data from over 1,300 workers who were interviewed at four intervals – at the commencement of the study, and again at six months, one year, and 18 months following the commencement of the study. The participants were asked if they had suffered on-the-job injuries within the past six months. Using administrative data from the nursing homes, the team was able to determine the number of workers who had lost their jobs and whether the job loss was voluntary or involuntary.

25 Percent of Workers Lost Job Within Six Months of Work-Related Injury

The study revealed that 30 percent of workers had suffered work-related injuries within the first year of employment, and that approximately 25 percent of those workers were no longer at that place of employment by 18 months. According to Peter Smith, a researcher at the University of Toronto’s Institute for Work and Health, the job loss may be due to several factors. Employers may fire workers because they think they will no longer be able to perform necessary job duties. Employers may also be concerned that the worker will get injured again. “In some situations an employer might not have put in place protections to reduce an injury occurring again, such as removing the hazards that lead to the injury,” said Smith. “While these situations should not be happening within the current workers’ compensation legislation, we do know that they sometimes do occur, in spite of the legislation in place,” Smith said.

Altman & Altman, LLP – Work Injury Lawyers Serving all of MA

If you’ve been injured on-the-job, the skilled team at Altman & Altman, LLP can help. With over 50 years’ experience protecting the rights of MA workers, our legal team can help you get the compensation you deserve. If you suffer a work-related injury you should be eligible for workers’ comp, but these cases are rarely cut and dry. Application errors can result in lengthy delays and reduced or denied benefits. Furthermore, if negligence played a role in your injuries, you may be entitled to additional compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, and lost wages. Contact Altman & Altman, LLP today for a free and confidential consultation about your case.

 

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