New Jersey and other parts of the United States have a significant portion of their workforce made up of foreigners — many of whom are not living in the country with a valid work visa. While a lot of undocumented foreign workers are able to navigate life in the United States, earn a living and care for their families, these individuals often get the short end of the stick when it comes to health care, wages and fair treatment by their employers. However, this doesn’t mean they’re unprotected by the law.
A New Jersey workplace is required to cover its employees with workers’ compensation insurance in the event of an injury. If a workplace accident results in an injury to an employee, that employee can file a workers’ compensation claim to get money to pay for his or her injuries. This is how the process usually works, and in most cases the New Jersey workers’ compensation system is efficient at ensuring workers get the medical care they require.
However, in workplace injury cases that involve undocumented immigrants, insurance companies and/or employers may try to convince the court that they are not required to pay. In such instances, the undocumented worker might still be able to get coverage benefits, by asserting his or her rights in court. Results are not guaranteed, but undocumented workers should never feel that they are devoid of rights and legal protections in this regard.
At the Law Offices of Jack L. Stillman, PA, we are particularly concerned about the fair treatment of all workers, and preventing their brutal exploitation, regardless where they are from, regardless whether they are documented legal residents and regardless if they have work visas. If you have been injured on the job and denied workers’ compensation benefits — no matter what the reason — the Law Offices of Jack L. Stillman, PA, is here to help.