Since 2008 when the recession hit, more companies in Washington have turned to hiring temporary employees, as a way of filling their employment needs without making commitments. This trend has made an impact on the job market and the temporary employment industry employs 2.8 million workers. Yet there is a human price to be paid for temporary employment it seems; temporary employees carry a greater risk of being injured on the job.
The reasons may be behind lack of proper training. OSHA files revealed situations where untrained laborers were put in situations where they were injured. Especially in blue-collar temporary work, untrained and unskilled laborers are routinely asked to perform dangerous jobs operating machinery, handling hazardous chemicals, or performing in hostile environments. When they are injured, the temporary employment agency and the company performing the works often quarrel about who is responsible.
Unfortunately, many companies routinely put profits before the safety of their workers and treat temporary workers as “expendable”. Temps are usually working on machines or completing tasks that they have not been properly trained to perform. As such, many temporary workers are injured in the first three months they are hired.
Temporary workers are at risk for electrocution, amputation, lacerations, fractures, severe head and neck injuries and more. The more physical the work is, the higher the injury rate is. A 2010 study of Washington State’s worker’s compensation claims found that temp workers in both construction and manufacturing trades had twice the claims of regular workers. When a temporary worker is injured, the temp agency is supposed to pay the worker’s compensation, but often they delay paying claims while temporary workers suffer.
Contact Seattle Worker’s Compensation Attorneys
If you have been injured on the job and have questions regarding your worker’s compensation, an experienced Seattle worker’s compensation attorney at Phillips Law Firm can help. If you are interested in learning more about your legal options, call us at 1-800-708-6000. Our Seattle worker’s compensation attorneys are waiting to assist you 24/7, offering a free case evaluation. Remember our no fee promise. If we do not recover anything for you, you do not owe us an attorney fee.
The workers’ compensation lawyers at Phillips Law Firm have successfully represented injured individuals and their families in Seattle, Tacoma, Vancouver, Bellevue, Everett, Kent, Auburn, Renton, Federal Way, Bellingham, Marysville, Lakewood, Redmond, Shoreline, and throughout the State of Washington.