Holding Employers Accountable For Worker’s Comp Retaliation

Retaliation against employees who pursue workers’ compensation benefits is in violation of law. Employers are not allowed to treat an employee adversely or fire them because of applying for or utilizing a workers’ compensation program. The purpose of this program is to provide injured employees with the coverage they need to get better.

However, some employers retaliate because a workplace accident caused the company to lose money. So this loss gets unfairly taken out on workers who are just victims in need of financial support. And to take this point further, it may have actually been the fault of an employer for why the accident happened in the first place, such as not providing protective equipment or not enforcing safety regulations.

An employer may fire an employee, but make it seem like it was for other reasons. Companies may go to great lengths to avoid paying out for an injured worker’s injuries and other resulting damages. Ways an employer may retaliate include:

• Pay reductions
• Cutting a worker’s hours
• Transferring to an undesired department
• Demoting to lesser paid role
• Termination
• Negative performance reviews
• Verbal harassment or threats
• Creating a toxic working environment/culture
• Other disciplinary actions

As a Workers Compensation Attorney from Rispoli & Borneo P.C. would agree with, it’s important for injured workers to remember that they are entitled to protection from retaliation by law. Those who are being treated adversely or were outright fired after a recent workplace accident must put their health first by taking all steps available to them to receive fair coverage and hold an employer accountable.