Workers' compensation aims to provide for medical care and financial assistance to employees injured on the job. It pays approved medical bills for job-related injuries. It also covers lost wages, permanent disabilities, disfigurements and death benefits.
South Carolina Code Title 42 sets out the workers' compensation law. Cities and towns are among the employers who are required to provide workers' compensation as a benefit.
Here is some basic information about workers' compensation in South Carolina:
Notification and claims
Injured employees must notify their employers of their injuries as soon as possible. When they do not give notice within 90 days of the injury, their workers' compensation claims may be denied.
Once notified, employers must immediately file a "First Report of Injury" form with their workers' compensation insurance carrier, within 10 days of becoming aware of the accident.
Waiting period
When injuries keeps employees from working for more than seven days, they become eligible for payment for lost wages. Employees out of work for more than 14 days can be compensated for lost work time beginning with the day of the injury.
Compensation
Injured employees receive 66 2/3% of their average weekly wage, subject to minimum and maximum rates. Benefits are payable for a maximum of 500 weeks for most injuries. Certain injuries — brain damage, paraplegia or quadriplegia — may have benefits payable for life.
The SC Municipal Insurance Trust and SC Municipal Insurance and Risk Financing Fund will have an online training session, "Workers' Compensation Nuts and Bolts" for their members August 5. Information will be sent to members in August.