Are Part-Time Workers Eligible for Workers’ Comp in Oklahoma?

Oklahoma is an industrious state, but unfortunately, busy, productive industries generate a significant number of workplace injury claims each year. Workers’ compensation in Oklahoma provides a crucial safety net for injured workers, but sometimes it isn’t until after an injury happens that a part-time employee asks, “Am I eligible for workers’ compensation in Oklahoma?”

A workers’ comp attorney in Oklahoma City can help you understand your right to benefits based on the unique circumstances of your case.

Understanding Eligibility for Workers’ Compensation in Oklahoma

Workplace injuries are more common in jobs with inherent risks, such as falls from heights and heavy-equipment injuries in construction, and burns in the restaurant business; however, an injury can occur even in a plush office or remote working environment. When an injury requires medical treatment and disrupts your ability to work in Oklahoma, the state’s workers’ compensation laws provide a framework for compensation to prevent financial hardship.

Under Oklahoma’s Title 85A, nearly every employer in the state must carry workers’ compensation insurance. Exemptions exist primarily for family-owned businesses with family-member employees, sole proprietors, and licensed real estate brokers who work on commission. Similarly, nearly all employees in Oklahoma are eligible for workers’ compensation benefits, including part-time workers.

Most Part-Time Workers are Eligible for Oklahoma Workers’ Comp Benefits

Oklahoma defines an employee as anyone engaged in full or part-time service for an employer. Under Oklahoma’s workers’ compensation code, nearly all employees are eligible for coverage, regardless of the number of hours they work.

Only limited exceptions exist as follows:

• Some agricultural industry workers
• Family members who work in a family-owned business with five or fewer employees
• Independent contractors
• Employees of youth sports leagues with tax-exempt status
• Sole proprietors and partnerships
• Parties in certain franchise agreements
• Members of some limited liability companies (LLCs)
• Some stockholders in certain corporations
• Volunteers who do not receive wages

Workers’ compensation is a no-fault compensation system, so employees do not have to prove that they were injured by employer negligence to receive benefits. Understanding your eligibility is the first step, and an Oklahoma City workers’ compensation attorney can clarify whether you qualify.

How Does a Part-Time Employee File a Workers’ Compensation Claim in Oklahoma?

Workers’ compensation insurance protects employers from lawsuits filed by injured employees by providing medical treatment and a portion of their standard wages. However, insurance companies issue these policies and sometimes reject claims due to missed deadlines or filing errors. The best way to streamline the workers’ compensation claim process in Oklahoma is to hire an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer.

The employee should take the following steps:

• If you aren’t incapacitated, take photos of the cause of the injury at the accident scene
• Report the injury to your supervisor and ask them to fill out a detailed accident report
• Go directly to the hospital or urgent care center from the accident scene
• Report the injury to your employer within 30 days of the injury date
• Hire an experienced Oklahoma City workers’ compensation attorney

With the exception of your emergency treatment, you must receive medical care for the injury from a provider on your employer’s approved list. Missing any of these steps can negatively affect your claim, which is why having a workers’ comp lawyer in OKC to guide you through the process is invaluable.

Most workers’ comp claims in Oklahoma result in a lump-sum settlement or installment payments for lost earnings.