Understanding Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Laws
No one expects to be injured on the job, but unfortunately, more than 2.8 million workplace injuries and illnesses happen every year. If this happens to you, it’s important to know what you can do to protect yourself and get the treatment you need. Because of workers’ compensation laws, employees who get injured while doing their job may be entitled to compensation, but how can this vary by workplace?
Union vs Nonunion Workers
The Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission (MWCC) dictates that every employer with five or more regularly employed workers must provide workers’ compensation insurance. Since this is mandated by the state, the availability of this coverage is not dependent on whether or not you are part of a union. However, being in a workers union does have it perks when it comes to the benefits you can receive.
State Benefits for Nonunion Workers
Any worker in Mississippi is guaranteed certain benefits under the MWCC regulations. These include:
- “Reasonable and necessary” medical services to treat the injury or illness, including mileage expense reimbursement.
- If the injury requires missing work, a worker is entitled to wage loss benefits up to two-thirds of their weekly wage, payable every 14 days so long as the disability is continued.
These are the minimum requirements guaranteed by the state. However, since labor unions are independent and the state cannot regulate them, you may find that a union can provide additional benefits.
Benefits for Union Members
Since Mississippi prohibits public employees from going on strike and has no law regarding collective bargaining unless you are a teacher, additional benefits may vary depending on which union you are a member. The manner in which you go about filing your claim could also differ, and, depending on the size, the union may have an employment law attorney on retainer for instances such as this.
If you are curious about how workers’ compensation varies for your specific labor union, it is always best to consult someone within the organization or refer to your contract for additional details.
How a Personal Injury Attorney Can Help
Workers’ compensation is standardized in Mississippi, which means that you are entitled to seek compensation for injuries or illnesses that resulted from your job. Regardless if you are a union member or not, you deserve to be protected, and Gulf South Law Firm can help.
Call (228) 231-3989 to schedule a consultation today.