Not everything is doom and gloom, though it sometimes seems like it that way. People only seem to want to report on the bad stuff, but what they often ignore is how far the world has come. Here’s a look at some of the good things that have come from workers comp and how you can do more to fix the bad.
Getting Necessary Help
Our society is trying to help people who need it, however much we fail or however much people try to take advantage of the system. Our shortcomings are frustrating to no end for honest people who are trying to do the right thing, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that the intentions are there and that there has been progress. Before an employee may have lost a leg to a faulty machine, and he would have received a pittance of compensation or perhaps none at all.
Letting Employees Come Back to Their Job
People’s jobs are not just tied up in how much money they make, but in their self worth as a human being. Idle hands makes us feel like we have nothing to contribute to anyone. An employee who lost their job due to an accident has recourse to claim discrimination based on their circumstances, and what’s more, they have the laws in place that are on their side. Being able to come back to their old position without being completely replaced is really a priceless feature in our workers comp system.
A Focus on the Problems
Yes, there are some definitely problems that need to be addressed, but they’re not just being ignored entirely by policy makers. During the election years, there’s a focus on workers comp which sees reforms suggestions and honest discussions about what can be done. There are no federal programs (and few non-federal programs) that anyone can point to and say that they have no flaws or inefficiencies. As long as people are looking at the problem, then there’s every chance that someone will come up with a compromise that works for insurance carriers, lawmakers, company owners, medical practitioners and employees. With the long list of people involved in workers comp and with all of them having wildly different interests and incentives, it’s not wonder we’ve seen as many problems as we have.
Moving Forward
The best thing you can do to continue seeing workers comp as a force of good in your life is to continue to pay attention to and active with what’s happening in your city, state and USA. Voicing your opinion isn’t always easy but staying silent will be worse for everyone involved.
