While I generally think that people are good, when money is involved it makes some people do bad things. When it comes to Illinois work comp cases this usually means lying.

The latest whopper I heard involved a flight attendant who works for a major airline and is based out of Chicago. She had an accident on a layover in another country.  She reported it to her HR and was told that it couldn’t be filed as work comp because it happened out of the country.  This worker then went to the hospital, reported the injury as work related and when she went to check out the medical biller told her that HR had called and given them this woman’s personal healthcare information to use instead of work comp.

What I think is going on here is that the HR person probably got a bad review at the end of 2018 about how many workers’ compensation cases were taking place and was told to try to reduce it.  Instead of putting in place safety measures and other best practices, she apparently has decided that the way to do her job is to break the law.

So for anyone unsure, if you are an Illinois employee, you are covered for a work related accident, you are covered in the following scenarios:

-When you are hurt in the US

-When you are hurt out of the US

-After getting injured while traveling for work

-If you are hurt one minute after you start the job

-If you are a part time worker

-If you are a full time worker

-If you are driving a company vehicle for their benefit

-When you are doing an activity that benefits the company

-After an injury at a mandatory party or event

-If there’s no accident, but the injury is due to repetitive work

That was 10 quick examples off the top of my head, but the bottom line is that employers and insurance companies will sometimes lie and in almost every scenario where you are doing something that benefits the company you are covered under the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act.