What do I do if I am hurt at work?
CategoriesDepartment |
All public school employees are entitled to receive workers' compensation under the North Carolina Workers' Compensation Act. Employees must have suffered an accidental injury or contracted an occupational disease in the course of employment to be eligible for medical payments, compensation for lost salary or death benefits under this program. Employees who suffer lost time as a result of a workers' compensation claim receive a weekly compensation benefit equal to 66 2/3 % of the employee's average earnings up to a maximum established by the North Carolina Industrial Commission each year.
Process for Filing a Workers' Compensation Claim
An employee who has been injured while on the job performing work functions, is responsible for reporting his/her injury within 24 hours of the accident to the Workers' Compensation Office (850-1689) and submitting an "Employee Statement of Injury" form to the Workers' Compensation Office via facsimile or courier. The form must be completed in its entirety, to include a complete description of the injury, and signed by the supervisor. Forms are located at the individual school or office locations.
If the employee will be out of work for a period of time as a result of the injury, the employee or the work site must complete a leave form to indicate that the employee is out of work on workers' compensation leave and submit it to Compensation Services with a copy to the Workers' Compensation Office. All medical documentation must be turned into the Workers' Compensation Office, including, but not limited to, return to work release notices and any restrictions pertaining to the ability to perform one's job.
If the injury requires immediate medical treatment, a list of approved medical providers is included in this manual for your convenience. If an employee does not attend one of the approved medical providers without permission from the Workers' Compensation Office, it may affect the insurance carrier's ability to process the claim in a timely fashion thus delaying payments to the employee and/or medical provider.
Once an insurance carrier is assigned, and the employee's claim has been approved, the insurance carrier will be in contact with the employee regarding the payment of medical bills and lost time wages.
For further questions regarding Workers' Compensation please contact the Workers' Compensation Office at 854-1757.
Episode of Violence
Any permanent full-time employee who suffers an injury or disability while engaged in the course of his or her employment shall receive full salary if the injury or disability arose from an episode of violence and the employee did not participate in or provoke the violence.
The salary shall continue for one year, the continuation of the disability, or the time during which the employee is unable to engage in his or her employment because of the injury, whichever period is shortest. While receiving regular salary under this provision, the employee is not eligible to receive weekly salary benefits under workers' compensation. However, the employee may receive medical, hospital, drug and related expense payments from workers' compensation if applicable. The employee is not required to use any paid leave (sick, annual, personal, etc.) if absence is due to an episode of violence.
Refer to policy: 3800/4800 §9.2 and §9.3