Due to the advancement of technology and digitization, many organizations are advancing their operations through the hiring of remote workers. Remote work comes with its unique advantages. Geographical locations won’t be a barrier, and it also adds flexibility and dynamism in operations. But it’s not uncommon for remote workers to suffer from injuries when carrying out their job functions. So, organizations hiring remote workers must have a remote worker compensation plan as the law demands.
Do you need a remote worker’s compensation Plan?
Many benefits come with hiring remote workers. Organizations can employ top talents, thereby saving overhead expenses. It can also enable organizations to have a presence in different geographical locations. However, remote worker employment comes with legal implications. It also possesses the challenges of effective management.
Every organization, irrespective of size, must have a remote worker’s compensation plan as per the law’s requirement. This is an insurance plan set up by organizations to compensate their workers when injuries and illnesses occur. If an organization does not have this plan in place, they can be sued by the employee. Organizations make payments into the workers’ compensation fund account. When the remote worker becomes injured or ill, the benefit is paid to the worker. However, negligence, pains, and suffering are not payable under the compensation plan.
Compensation only covers for injury sustained in work premises and during work hours. If the injury is caused as a result of negligence, there would be no compensation at all. If your injuries were a result of your job and your organization thinks others wish, then a new Jersey law firm can help you. However, some compensation plan covers a “no-fault worker.” This means that some insurance plans can cover a situation whereby the injury was caused as a result of the worker’s fault.
What are the types of Benefits?
Workers compensation covers
Medical benefits – Hospitalization, prescriptions, ambulatory care, physical therapy, surgery, etc
Temporal total benefits – This is a type of benefit you receive if your injury or illness stops you from carrying out your duties for more than seven days
Permanent disability benefit – a worker is entitled to a long term benefit if a permanent disability occurs
Death benefit – A surviving family will stand to benefit if a worker dies as a result of the job. Death benefit also comes with funeral expenses.
Managing remote workers
The challenges attached to hiring remote workers are effective management. How do you minimize the compensation claims by remote workers; hence, they are out of sight? Every organization must create an effective telecommunications policy to ensure that they properly manage remote workers. Organizations should adopt best practices to manage remote workers effectively
Defining working Hours
Whether remote workers are employed to work at home or they are employed to work in some facilities working hours should be clearly defined. If injuries do not occur during working hours and in the working premises, then the claimant would not be eligible for compensation. Defining working hours also ensures that an organization is adopting a fair labor policy. Fair labor is a regulation that provides that workers are not over labored. You can define working hours through the use of software, cameras, or other means. The software can enable an organization to track working hours and also break time. The use of CCTV cameras can pinpoint if an injury was caused as a result of negligence or out of the working region.
Define job functions
In other to avoid unnecessary claims, organizations need to define job functions for remote workers clearly. The roles and responsibilities of the remote worker must be in a document. This is very important for remote workers that work at home. Most of them carry out their jobs at the same time attending to their personal needs. If an injury occurs when the worker is not carrying out their job functions, then no compensation would be made.
Define remote workplace
Organizations must define a workplace for a remote worker. The workplace must also be documented. A workplace can be monitored with the use of cameras. Organizations should also adopt best practices, such as an inspection to see if there are any form of dangers that can potentially cause injuries, trips, and falls. They should make pictorial documentation, ventilate, and illuminate the place. Smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, and cable managements should all be in place.
Conclusion
Remote workers’ compensation is an insurance policy that provides financial protection and security for remote workers. One of the first things organizations put in place is a fair compensation plan, even if the organization has just a single staff. A remote worker compensation plan covers for injuries and illness that a worker sustains as a result of carrying out a job function. Organizations need to have a clear telecommunication policy to minimize claims from remote workers.
