Agricultural enterprises contribute significantly to the Florida economy. Many different crops grown in Florida help feed the nation. Many workers face dangerous work environments to keep the agricultural sector productive and profitable.
Picking produce, trimming trees, and caring for fields are all very labor-intensive endeavors. Despite the many mechanical devices created to reduce the manpower necessary to generate crops, the work of many people is necessary to grow the food produced in Florida. Farmers in Florida often work with seasonal employees and migrant workers who travel from location to location based on planting and harvesting schedules.
Agricultural workers often have to work long hours regardless of the weather and perform repetitive job functions. They may also end up exposed to many risk factors, from tractors to ladders. Do injured agricultural workers have a right to seek workers’ compensation benefits in Florida?
Most agricultural businesses should provide coverage
Some workers believe that they do not qualify for workers’ compensation benefits due to myths that spread among workers. For example, some people claim that only United States citizens can secure workers’ compensation benefits. Other times, people assume that they must be full-time or permanent employees to get benefits.
Thankfully, that is not the case. Workers can qualify for benefits from their very first day of employment, and they do not need to have a permanent arrangement or full-time hours to be eligible for coverage. Workers’ compensation can be a crucial protection for someone in agricultural work. They can receive medical coverage that can pay for their treatments. They can also qualify for disability benefits. Workers’ compensation disability benefits do not fully replace someone’s wages, but they can help someone continue supporting themselves and their family while they cannot work due to an injury.
In some cases, employers may try to mislead workers or threaten them when they want to file a workers’ compensation claim. Mistreated employees may need assistance with the process to ensure that they don’t face retaliation or end up denied the benefits that they deserve. Getting proper support can benefit those injured in their agricultural jobs. As such, the team at Matheson and Horowitz frequently assists with complex workers’ compensation claims and offers Spanish language services for those in need of additional information and assistance.