Pennsylvania workers who are at risk of suffering injuries at work may be interested in learning that the amount they are eligible to receive in workers’ compensation benefits may differ by gender. For example, a woman who worked at a computer for almost 20 years developed carpal tunnel syndrome. When she applied for workers’ compensation benefits, she discovered that she was eligible to receive 20 percent less than a male co-worker with the same injury.
According to the report, the difference in compensation was due to certain risk factors that included age and gender. As a result, she became one plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit that claimed that female workers were paid less in benefits due to their gender. The lawsuit stated that the plaintiffs were directly told that they were ineligible for the full benefits due to the fact that they were women.
The lawsuit, which was filed in California, reportedly seeks to end gender discrimination when it comes to workers’ compensation benefits. Additionally, the lawsuit was seeking the implementation of a training program for medical examiners so that they would not put a lower value on female workers’ cases due to gender.
Workplace injuries can be severe enough that a worker might be unable to continue doing their job. If the insurance company responsible for providing workers’ compensation benefits denies a worker’s claim or offers less than what the worker needs to pay their bills, an attorney may assist. Depending on the circumstances, the attorney may gather evidence that shows that the injury occurred during work and prevent the worker from earning an income.
