California Workers Compensation – Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Many Americans are being financially impacted by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. With many businesses and schools closing around us there has been much concern for what type of financial assistance or benefits employees will be able to receive to help them during these difficult times. For certain circumstances there are questions of who may be eligible for such benefits for situations such as: being in a workplace more vulnerable to exposure to the virus, contracting the virus in the workplace, having to provide care for an ill or quarantined family member, or If your workplace has to close and you are not able to work from home.

As of now, California workers compensation generally will not cover workers who contract coronavirus, with the exception of workers who can be directly exposed to the virus such as health care providers and first responders as a natural consequence of fulfilling their job duties. Trying to file a claim for workers compensation after being diagnosed with COVID-19 may be tricky. It will be difficult to prove that the employee did in fact contract the virus from being at the workplace or while performing their job duties. There would be question if the employee could have been exposed while at the workplace or from interacting outside of the workplace. As of right now there is no way to positively know how it was exactly contracted.

However, California’s paid sick leave and paid vacation days law provides many employees with time off who are unable to come into work due to being ill or if maybe they do not have child care for their young child out of school due to the many school closings. You are entitled to use the sick leave and vacation time you have accumulated during time away from work.

For those employees who have been exposed to COVID-19, or have symptoms and tested by a medical professional and will not be able to work for an extended period of time may be eligible for disability coverage, which provides short-term benefits for full or partial loss of wages.

Another situation may be if you are providing care for an ill or quarantined family member, you may be eligible for paid family leave.

If you have any questions, Anton Law Group is readily available for a free consultation. Give us a call at (888) 303-3434 today.