Workers’ Compensation When A Worker Has Multiple Jobs

In this day and age, many employees find themselves having to work more than one job in order to make ends meet. However, this can create confusion if one is unfortunate enough to be injured at work. What benefits is that injured employee entitled to? Should their second job be factored into the calculations? Contacting an experienced Connecticut workers’ compensation attorney can help to clarify matters.

When someone is injured at work, and is ruled eligible for benefits, a figure called the average weekly wage (AWW) is used to work out the appropriate amount. The formula used to calculate AWW is complex, factoring in not only one’s actual wage amount, but several other values like the number of weeks worked. While it is possible for an injured worker to calculate their AWW themselves, it is not recommended simply because every mistake can lessen the amount of benefits they receive.

If an injured worker who has more than one job tries to calculate their AWW without the help of an attorney, one of the biggest and most common mistakes they generally make is not factoring in their income from both employers. Under Connecticut law, people with more than one covered job are able to use both income streams in calculating their AWW, because an injury very often affects the employee’s ability to work at both jobs.

Connecticut law does offer one minor advantage to injured workers compared to other states, in that usually, one must determine if both jobs are covered under the state’s workers’ compensation statutes. However, Connecticut’s workers’ compensation laws are so wide-ranging that almost every employer is covered, except for those who only have domestic employees that work less than 26 hours per week. Thus, an injured employee knows automatically that they need not investigate that step.

Connecticut law holds that if a worker has more than one employer at the time they are injured, the employer on whose time they were injured is responsible for the lion’s share of the employee’s medical costs and the bulk of their AWW. This may give that employer what are known as subrogation rights – the ability to recover some of their costs. They can do so by making a claim with the state’s Second Injury Fund. The Second Injury Fund was closed to new claims in 1995, but employers can still make subrogation claims to recover costs in cases of concurrent wages.

Contact A Stratford Workers’ Compensation Attorney

Being injured at work can be a frustrating experience, and if you are potentially at risk of losing income from two jobs, it can be even worse. Enlisting a Stratford workers’ compensation attorney from the Morizio Law Firm to help with your case can ease your mind. We have handled many of these matters before and are happy to try and assist you with your case. Contact our offices today at 475-338-3505 to speak to an attorney.

Sources:

wcc.state.ct.us/download/acrobat/Benefit-Rate-Table-2019-2020.pdf

wcc.state.ct.us/law/wc-act/2009/31-310.htm

portal.ct.gov/OTT/Second-Injury-Fund/Frequently-Asked-Questions