If your teen is one of the millions who have a part-time job or work over winter and summer breaks, you may not have given a great deal of thought to their safety on the job. Jobs in restaurants and stores, where a lot of teens get their first work experience often aren’t considered especially dangerous – certainly not as much as construction, logging or other popular occupations in Idaho.
It’s crucial for Idaho parents and their teens to know that minors have the same rights to obtain workers’ comp benefits as anyone else if they become injured or ill as a result of their work. Here in Idaho, employers who have “one or more full-time, part-time, seasonal, or occasional employees are required to maintain a workers’ compensation policy unless specifically exempt from the law,” according to the Idaho Industrial Commission.
The right to a safe workplace
Teens also need to understand their rights to a safe workplace. That includes getting the proper training and protective equipment. Often, employers don’t put as much time and effort into providing this to teens as they should because they may only work a few hours a day or for a few months out of the year. Proper safety training is important not just for protecting the teen but for keeping the entire staff safe.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that approximately 180,000 teens are injured on the job in the U.S. every year. A lot of those are never reported. Teens may fear that if they report an injury, they could lose their jobs or at least get fewer hours. Employers can’t retaliate against any worker for reporting an injury or seeking workers’ compensation. In most cases, even if an injury was an employee’s fault, workers’ comp will still cover medical care and a portion of lost wages.
If your teen has suffered a work-related injury or illness and is having difficulty applying for or obtaining workers’ comp benefits or has suffered retaliation for seeking these benefits, it can help to have legal guidance.