Risk Management

Workers' Compensation (CARO)

Benefit Information: Explanation of Benefits

What is Workers' Compensation?

Who is covered?

What is covered?

Time of coverage?

What about occupational diseases?

What are the Workers' Compensation benefits?

How much are the payments?

Any Problems?

What is Workers' Compensation?
Benefits payable to an employee by his or her employer without regard to liability in the case of injury, disability, or death as the result of occupational hazards.

Who is covered?
All employees, full or part-time.

What is covered?
Injury or illness arising out of and in the course of employment.

Time of coverage?
Coverage begins the first minute an employee is on the job and continues while the employee is working.

What about occupational diseases?

1. It must arise out of and in the course of the employment.
2. It cannot be an "ordinary disease of life," unless it follows an incident of an occupational disease.
3. It must clearly be work related.

What are the Workers' Compensation benefits?
Medical care to cure and relieve the effects of the injury. This includes doctor's fees, hospital costs, lab tests, X-rays, pharmacy charges, prosthetic devices, etc.

Payments based on lost wages.  These payments are for "temporary disability," or inability to work, authorized by a physician. Payments may also be made if there is a permanent disability-for example, the loss of an eye or the amputation of a finger or limb.

Rehabilitation services. Often this is physical therapy, but should an injury keep you from returning to your usual job, you may qualify for retraining and vocational rehabilitation.

How much are the payments?
Two-thirds of your weekly wage up to a maximum set by law.  Payments will not be made the first three days (the waiting period) unless the disability lasts longer than fourteen (14) days.  Injured employees may use their sick leave to supplement their workers' compensation time lost benefits and receive full pay.

Any Problems?
Most injuries are handled routinely. However, if you think you have not received all the benefits due you, contact your employer or the Central Accident Reporting Office (CARO). Most questions can be resolved with a single telephone call.

If questions or concerns cannot be resolved by CARO, you may wish to obtain advice from any office of the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Division of Workers' Compensation.   If the problem cannot be resolved, you may wish to file a Claim for Compensation (WC-21) with the Division. You may desire to obtain an attorney, however contacting CARO or the Division may resolve your claim. If not, your claim may be heard by an administrative law judge.