This time of year, a lot of businesses bring in temporary employees to help out with the extra workload created by the holiday season and fill in for full-time employees taking some time off to be with their families. These seasonal workers range from high school and college students with time off from school to people taking on a second job to make some extra money for holiday gifts and just to help make ends meet.
Here in Florida, temporary employees can be found everywhere from stores and warehouses to Christmas tree lots and other “pop-up” businesses to hotels and restaurants dealing with an influx of holiday tourists. All of these new workers not only face the risk of injury themselves. They can increase the risk for others.
Working long hours increases the risk of injury
In addition to not always getting the safety training and protective gear they need, they may be working long hours. They may work a full day at their regular job and then put in some hours at night and on the weekends at their seasonal job. Even students working over the holidays may jump at the chance to get some overtime pay. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a person’s risk of injury increases by 37% if they work over 12 hours in one day.
No one takes on a temporary job to end up sidelined by an injury. That’s why it’s crucial for employees to make sure they’re getting the training and guidance they need to do their jobs safely – even if they’ll be leaving after the new year. However, mishaps can still happen – potentially leading to injuries that require medical treatment.
That’s why it’s important for all Florida workers to understand their right to workers’ compensation benefits. Florida workers’ comp requirements vary by industry and are largely dependent on the number of people in the company. Typically, temporary workers have the same right to workers’ comp benefits as their full-time colleagues.
Whether you’re a temporary or “permanent” employee, if you’re injured at work, it’s important that you get the right information on the law and your rights – especially if your employer says you don’t qualify for workers’ comp or if your claim is denied. It can be helpful to get legal guidance to protect your rights under Florida law.