Employee Matters
This column by Employee Compensation and Benefits Services addresses campuswide employment issues. Send your questions to wisweek@news.wisc.edu.
Workers’ compensation
Workers’ Compensation is a disability system of insurance that pays benefits to an employee who sustains a work-related injury defined as: “Mental or physical harm to an employee caused by accident or disease.”
An accidental injury is a sudden or traumatic event, unexpected and unforeseen by the injured person; an occupational illness is broadly defined as mental or physical harm that results from occupational exposure but that is not sudden or traumatic.
Are you covered by workers’ compensation?
More than 98 percent of Wisconsin workers are covered from the day they start employment. This program does not cover all injured workers, such as volunteers.
What benefits are provided?
Medical benefits: An injured worker is entitled to unlimited medical, surgical, chiropractic, psychological, podiatric, dental and hospital treatment as well as artificial member and appliances, “as may be reasonably required to cure and relieve the effects of the injury.” Damage to or destruction of artificial members, dental appliances, teeth, hearing aids and eyeglasses may be covered if found to be resulting from a compensable loss.
Wages: Benefits are equal to two-thirds of the injured worker’s average weekly wage, and benefits are nontaxable.
Mileage: Mileage is reimbursed at a rate set by the Department of Workforce Development, the agency that oversees workers’ compensation throughout the state. The mileage expenses of travel to obtain medical treatment are covered regardless of the number of trips.
Permanent disability payment: These awards are paid according to guidelines set by the DWD.
Vocational retraining: Injured workers suffering permanent disability may be eligible for equivalent of additional temporary total disability benefits as well as certain expenses if they participate in a qualifying program of vocational retraining.
What happens when an employee returns to work?
An injured worker may continue to be entitled to temporary disability benefits if he or she is still in the healing period after being given a limited release to return to work.
How does workers’ compensation affect other benefits?
In general, an injured worker applying for workers’ compensation is put on a medical leave of absence, during which time the university contribution toward her or his insurance premiums continues for the first three months. After three months, the injured worker is responsible for the employee and employer share of the premium.
An injured worker can use sick leave or other leave credits while waiting for a determination on her or his workers’ compensation claim. If using sick leave, the employee would be eligible for the university contribution toward the premium.
If an injured worker does not prepay the premium for any insurance programs, upon return to work the employee has 30 days to re-enroll in the plan. A new application is required.
Additional information can be found on http://www.bussvc.wisc.edu.
A copy of the Workers’ Compensation Act can be obtained from the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, http://www.dwd.state.wi.us/wc/legal/wc_act_intro.htm.
Contact a specialist at Employee Compensation and Benefits, 263-7556, 262-5650, employee@bussvc.wisc.edu.