Workers Compensation in Idaho: Understanding Business Legal Requirements

If you are a business owner in Idaho, it is important to understand the state’s legal requirements regarding workers’ compensation. 

Understanding the laws and regulations surrounding workers’ compensation helps ensure that your business complies with the law and helps protect you and your employees. 

This blog post will provide an overview of the laws and regulations governing workers’ compensation in Idaho so that you can stay informed and up-to-date.

What Is Workers Compensation in Idaho? 

In Idaho, workers’ compensation is a type of insurance program required by state law that provides wage replacement benefits, medical care benefits, and other benefits to injured employees or their dependents who have been injured or killed due to work-related illnesses or accidents. 

This coverage applies regardless of who was at fault for the injury or illness. It also provides death benefits to the families of employees who die due to their job. 

Who Is Required to Provide Coverage? 

The Idaho Industrial Commission requires most employers with one or more regular employees (full or part-time) to have a workers’ compensation insurance policy. 

Some employers are exempt from this requirement, such as those who employ only family members or fewer than three individuals for 20 hours or less per week for 13 consecutive weeks. 

What Benefits Are Available Through Workers’ Compensation? 

Employees may be eligible for several benefits if they suffer an on-the-job injury or illness. These include:

• Medical Care: Reimbursement for medical bills, treatments, medications, and rehabilitative services related to an employee’s workplace injury or illness; 
• Wage Replacement: Temporary disability payments based on a percentage of the employee’s average weekly wages; 
• Permanent Disability Payments: Pays a lump sum based on the degree of impairment caused by the employee’s workplace injury or illness; 
• Death Benefits: Pays a lump sum benefit to the surviving spouse, children, or parents of an employee who dies from a workplace injury or illness; 
• Vocational Rehabilitation: Assistance with training, education, or job placement for employees whose workplace injuries or illnesses prevent them from returning to their pre-injury jobs; 
• Funeral Expenses: Pays funeral costs related to an employee’s death from a workplace accident or illness. 
• Dependency Benefits: Payments to help cover expenses for survivors of an employee who died from a workplace injury or illness
• Miscellaneous Costs: Covers court costs, attorney fees, travel expenses, and any other miscellaneous costs associated with pursuing a claim. 

It is important to note that the same benefits available vary depending on the nature of the injury or illness, the severity of the injury or illness, and other factors. Employers should contact their insurance provider to get specific information about the benefits available under their particular policy. 

In Conclusion

Workers’ compensation is an important part of the business legal landscape in Idaho. It protects both employers and employees, ensuring that everyone is adequately covered in the event of an injury or illness. 

That said, businesses must follow specific guidelines and laws regarding worker’s compensation. They should be aware of the benefits available and applicable deadlines. Knowing the ins and outs of workers’ compensation can help businesses offer the best possible coverage to their employees while also protecting themselves from potential legal issues.