What do I need to know in terms of protection at work? Insurance, workingmen's comp.?

-I work on call for a national department store. As such, I am considered a contingent rather than a permanent employee. The company doesn't offer me health insurance, nor any benefits besides my pay. I have health coverage through the state. I live in a "must have" state in which I was required to sign a statement proving that I have health coverage to even work there.

I was hired to work as a retail sales associate. I do not have a job description. Occasionally I am asked to work duties that are not sales work.

When the carry out staff are not available I am asked by managers to carry out store items for customers.

A full time, union retail associate refused the manager's request to do the carry out work, claiming that he would not be "covered outside the store" in the event that he was injured on the job. He argued with the manager and referred the matter to his union stewart.

I also asked the manager if I was covered if I was injured doing carry out. I didn't get a straight answer and fearing that the manager might fire me, I did the work as requested.

Since that time, I have been working with a financial planner and explained the situation to her. She told me to ask my employer if I had disability coverage, if any, and at what level.

Yesterday, I called human resources. The manager reiterated the legal verbiage of my state being a "must have state" and referred me to the state to find out if I could get disability coverage on my own.

It is very confusing.

Health insurance.

Disability.

Working man's comp.

When I started working, it seemed as if all companies offered these benefits to all employees. Now it seems as if the numbers crunchers in these companies are finding unethical but legal ways to weasel out of paying for the benefits workers need to do the jobs employers require of them.

When I was filling out the job application, it was to be a salesman inside the store. I didn't foresee myself hauling out store items to customer's vehicles.

I have basic medical health insurance. I am wondering if what I am doing at work if that is enough coverage. Are companies required to have basic Workingman's Comp for all employees? I just found out that I do not have any disability coverage. Would that be something I should have working at the store? Like getting my own health plan, am I also required to get my own disability plan and workingman's comp plan?The correct term for what you are calling "Workingman's comp" is either "workers' comp" or "workman's comp". In most states, all employers are required to have it for all actual "employees" (who receive a paycheck with taxes withheld and will receive a W-2 at the end of the year). They are not required to have it for "independent contractors" (who have no tax withheld from their pay and will receive a 1099 at the end of the year). You cannot get it on your own. Either your employer provides it, or you cannot get it. You are neither required nor able to get your own; only an employer can get it.



You probably should get disability insurance, but not because you are working for this company. You probably should get it because you probably should have it for other reasons. You are not required to have it, but it is a good idea.



The full time, union associate was wrong. Worker's comp, if the employer does have it, covers all injuries that happen doing anything your employer tells you to do. One of the most bizarre examples was (true story) a case where a customer left her sunglasses, so the boss told an employer to go to her house to return them, but when he arrived, someone murdered both the customer and the employee (the customer was the intended victim; the employee just happened to be there at the same time, to return the sunglasses). Even though this happened at the customer's house, a lawyer argued that it should still be covered by worker's comp, because the boss told the employee to go there.