In Florida, workers’ compensation laws protect employees from workplace injuries and illnesses. Workers’ compensation holds an employer accountable for workplace incidents with insurance coverage that pays medical bills, lost wages and other associated expenses.
Learn more about workers’ compensation claims in Florida if you or a loved one experienced an injury or illness caused by your job.
Reporting the claim
You must report the incident to your employer within 30 days of the injury or illness diagnosis. The employer then has 7 days to report the incident to their insurance company. The insurance company must send workers’ compensation claim information to the employee. The Employee Assistance Office (EAO) can help if the employer fails to report.
Receiving benefits
The employer or their insurance company decides on the medical provider. All treatment and prescriptions must go through the specified provider, who submits bills to the workers’ compensation insurance provider for payment.
If you cannot work because of your illness or injury, you may qualify for disability payments. The insurer pays this benefit every two weeks at two-thirds of your average weekly wage before you become disabled, for up to 104 weeks.
Returning to work
An employee cannot fire an employee for filing a claim. However, the employer does not need to hold the employee’s job while he or she receives disability benefits. If you cannot return to work at your previous position, you may qualify for reemployment assistance services are available.
If the employer or their insurance company denies your claim for workers’ compensation, you can file an appeal through the state.
