A St. Clair County, Illinois man filed a workers’ compensation claim with his employer, Securitas Security Services USA Inc. He claims that he was fired after filing for workers’ compensation benefits and believes that he was actually fired for doing so. He was formerly employed as a security guard with the company.
This gentleman claims that he was injured on the job during the normal course of his duties. Nine days after he filed a workers’ compensation, he was terminated from his position at Securitas. The man says that there were no reasonable grounds for termination and that it was an act of retaliation on the part of his former employer. There seems to be a lack of specific evidence to back his claims.
The intent of workers’ compensation is to adequately compensate eligible workers in the event that they are injured in the normal course of their job duties. It is the right of every employee to file a workers’ compensation claim after suffering an injury while on the job. However, that does not guarantee that compensation will be given once the claim is processed.
The Worker’s Compensation Act of Illinois was enacted with the benefits of employees in mind and employers are required to abide by it. It is not clear specifically what ensued with the workers’ compensation claim filed by the man, or whether the company alleged some other reason for the firing. In a situation like this, having an impartial assessment of a case can help to determine if the worker’s rights have been violated.
The nature of workers’ compensation can be complicated and confusing to those who are injured or become ill on the job. Legal consultation is often a beneficial way to ensure if there are grounds for claims to be filed with employers. This convoluted process can be more easily navigated with the assistance of professional help.
Source: Madison Record, “Securitas security guard says he was fired for filing comp claim,” Andrea Dearden, March 28, 2013
