Workers’ Comp: FL Workers’ Comp Rate Hike

The Florida Workers’ Compensation Law provides compensation for lost wages. How does that translate for Broward County’s average employee? While the Sunshine State doesn’t exactly outshine other states, it appears that a significant improvement has just been approved by Florida law.

As of January 1, 2013, Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty recently approved a 6.1 percent workers’ compensation insurance rate increase. Since the national average was only just over 2 percent, Florida appears to have surpassed most of our competitors. Although certain Broward County employees may be ecstatic over the rate hike, Florida still lags a whopping 56 percent below the rate norm of other states, compared to the reforms that were suggested back in 2003. Alaska, Connecticut, and California are ranked as providing our nation’s highest rates of compensation.

Lost Wages: What the Law Says and What that Means to You!

In layman’s terms, when a doctor determines that a worker has been either hurt on the job or developed an illness or disease from the job, then the employee is entitled to receive money for their lost wages. Florida’s workers’ compensation law provides that individuals are allowed to receive money up to 66.66 percent of their regular wages at the time they were hurt. The glitch that often takes many by surprise is that lost wages compensation is subject to a statewide reimbursement amount. And it is that amount that recently has been approved as a rate increase, specifically from $803 to $816 per week.  In other words, injured employees are entitled to about 66 percent of their weekly pay rate, but it cannot exceed $816.

Dating back to 1937—Florida’s original year of awarding lost wages—employees were compensated $18 per week.  Historically, Florida hasn’t exactly been a frontrunner when it comes to workers’ compensation, and that is essentially why it is even more vital for injured employees to seek expert legal advice when they are injured on the job.

If you need assistance to file your claim for Workers’ Compensation Lost Wages Claim, a Broward County workers’ comp attorney at the Law Offices of David Benenfeld is here to help. For or a free legal consultation and book call today: 954-677-0155