Workers’ Compensation Rules with Second Jobs
If you are injured on the job and cannot continue to work, you may qualify for workers’ compensation benefits in Wisconsin. These crucial benefits help you stay afloat financially while you may be unable to perform certain work functions.
Even though workers’ compensation benefits are there to help, the loss of income may place a significant strain on you and your family. For this reason, you may wonder if you can work a second job while you are receiving workers’ compensation benefits. Or, you may have already had a second job and wonder if you are still able to work that job.
Am I Allowed to Work a Second Job on Workers’ Comp?
The answer to whether you can work a second job while receiving workers’ compensation benefits depends on the types of jobs you have or are looking to get. You will not want to continue a second job – or find one – if the tasks that you will have to perform are as demanding or more demanding than the job in which you were injured. If you are too injured to return to work at one job, you shouldn’t be doing work that is demanding at another.
If the second job that you already had or are seeking is less demanding than the job in which you were injured, you may be able to make it work. For example, if you were injured at a construction job, but your second source of employment requires you to do office or clerical work, this may be permissible.
However, keep in mind that any income that you earn at the second job is subject to adjustment of your workers’ compensation benefits, as income is taken into account. This calculation may dictate what you want to do.
Getting Caught Working While Receiving Workers’ Compensation Benefits
Working a physically demanding job while receiving workers’ compensation benefits in Wisconsin could qualify as fraud. Workers’ compensation fraud is a severe offense that could result in you having to pay a significant fine or restitution. It is even possible that you will receive jail time for workers’ compensation fraud.
Often, a boss, coworker, or someone else may turn you in if they catch you working a second equally or more demanding job while receiving benefits. They can leave an anonymous tip with your Wisconsin workers’ compensation official. The official will then investigate, which could result in you being found to be committing fraud.
Another form of workers’ compensation fraud occurs if you misrepresent your current job status or fail to report your earnings. As stated above, you need to report the earnings of a second job so the proper amount of benefits can be issued. Failing to report this could mean you are hiding the second job because it is more demanding or trying to receive the entire workers’ compensation benefits while also receiving your full secondary income.
Workers’ Compensation Case Questions in Wisconsin
If you have questions about workers’ compensation or have been injured and need help, get a Wisconsin workers’ compensation attorney involved. Tabak Law has many years of experience working with workers’ compensation cases in its hometown of Milwaukee and throughout the state of Wisconsin.