In New Jersey, employers must either have federal or state workers’ compensation insurance to cover their employees to be legally allowed to operate. The workers an employer is required to cover, however, depends on their employment status. For example, New Jersey workers’ compensation law holds that permanent full-time employees, part-time employees, and seasonal workers are covered by the employer’s workers’ compensation insurance. On the other hand, independent contractors, unpaid interns, volunteers, and sole proprietors who do not have any employees are not covered by workers’ compensation laws.
While a huge subset of New Jersey’s workforce is temporary or seasonal workers or part-time employees, many don’t know where they stand regarding workers’ compensation coverage and protections. To engage their job with full confidence and stability, such workers need to know their rights and fall on the spectrum of employment in New Jersey.
On the other hand, a part-time employee is anyone who, on a temporary or permanent basis, works less than 80 percent of the full workweek for their industry. Some industries follow a 40-hour workweek, while others follow a 32-hour workweek, and a part-time employee, in these cases, would be someone who works 32 hours or 25.6 hours, respectively. A seasonal employee is someone who only works for certain months of the year. Seasonal employment is often working in the agricultural or retail sector, as much seasonal employment follows agricultural sowing and harvesting timelines and holiday shopping seasons. A temporary employee is someone who works either part-time or full-time for a set amount of time. These workers are usually procured for an employer through a temp agency, a business that serves as a middle man between employers and temporary employees. In all of these cases, New Jersey workers’ compensation laws cover these employees, and they are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits in the case that they are injured on the job.
For seasonal employees, the line between what injury happens on the job and what happens off the job is a bit blurred. For this reason, if you are a seasonal employee who has been injured due to your work – whether or not a specific injury happened at the place of employment – you must seek the support of a skilled workers’ compensation attorney.
Additionally, as a seasonal worker, you are entitled to proper training for any machinery and procedures you are expected to operate and carry out. If you were injured on the job because of a lack of training or safety precautions, you are entitled to receive workers’ compensation benefits.
At The Law Office of Cohen & Riechelson, our team of experienced workers’ compensation attorneys supports our clients across Trenton, Princeton, Hamilton, and the greater Mercer County area in ensuring that their rights as seasonal workers are met when they are injured on the job.
To schedule a consultation with a member of our firm today regarding your injury, please contact us online or through our Hamilton office at 609.528.2596.
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