As a food service worker, you face a high risk of injury in the workplace and so you might need workers’ compensation in the future. It is important to understand how workers’ compensation could help you if you have already been injured or if you fear that an injury could happen to you.
Risks of Food Service Jobs
Food service includes all kinds of jobs revolving around food, including running a cashier at a fast food restaurant, serving at a fine dining restaurant, or working in the kitchen. Restaurants – especially kitchens – are dangerous places to work, especially considering that employees don’t always receive adequate safety training or follow safety rules. The risks that you face include:
- Serious cuts from sharp kitchen knives
- Burns from the deep fryer, hot pans, or a kitchen fire
- Repetitive strain from chopping food or carrying heavy plates
- Slipping on a wet floor and twisting your ankle
- Dealing PTSD after a robbery of the cash register
- Back injuries from constantly being on your feet
As a result of all these risks, it is very important that you take common-sense safety precautions and say something if the workplace seems unsafe. For example, you might ensure that the deep fryer gets cleaned regularly to prevent grease fires, you could ask other employees to clean up spills promptly, and you could make sure to sit down on your break. Doing so could keep yourself or your coworkers from getting seriously injured.
How Do You Get Workers’ Comp as a Food Service Worker?
If you do get injured at your food service job, you probably qualify for workers’ compensation benefits. Your employer pays for workers’ compensation insurance, so that if an employee is injured he or she can receive payments from the insurance company. The payments cover medical expenses, time off work, and help getting back to work.
You might suffer unexpected retaliation for seeking these benefits, unfortunately. After reporting injuries, some workers notice that they are not put on the schedule for the next week, or they are assigned unfavorable tables in the restaurant. In Minnesota, retaliation for filing a workers’ comp claim is illegal. So is denying an eligible worker the benefits to which he or she is legally entitled. If you are having trouble getting your workers’ comp, speak to a local workers’ compensation lawyer.
Need help getting workers’ compensation for your injury? Joe Osterbauer, Esq. and the Osterbauer Law Firm stand up for injured Minnesota workers’ rights. Joe’s 27 years of workers’ compensation experience and his team’s speedy service combine to get clients the results they need. To schedule a free consultation, visit Osterbauer Law Firm online or call Joe’s office at (612) 334-3434.
