Workers’ compensation laws exist to make sure your boss covers the cost of an injury you suffer while on the job. However, like all laws, workers’ compensation laws are not unchangeable. Politicians can alter laws as they see fit, with only a few limitations.
In fact, workers’ compensation laws are a constant target of the business community: Business people want to weaken or repeal these regulations so they can increase their own profits. After all, workers’ compensation laws make employers and companies pay out money to employees who are injured and can’t produce like they could before.
To prevent this from happening, we need strong workers’ compensation laws in St. Joseph and throughout Missouri. Having a Department of Labor that will vigorously enforce those laws is crucial.
The Department of Labor Can Protect Workers
The United States Department of Labor is one of the federal agencies in Washington. Its primary responsibility is to enforce the laws and regulations created by the federal government that deal with workplace issues. These include wage laws, like the minimum wage, workplace safety laws, and workers’ compensation laws.
All of these laws, unfortunately, are constantly fought over by the labor community, which represents workers, and the business community, which represents bosses and companies. The interests of these communities are at odds with each other on nearly all of the laws that the Department of Labor oversees.
Labor Interests Versus Business Interests
The political fight between labor and business is like a tug-of-war. Employers are on one side, while employees are on the other. In a perfect world, both sides would pull but neither side would gain any ground.
This is the best outcome because if either side won the game it would ruin everything. If business interests pulled labor to the ground, so many workers would be paid so little and have so few benefits that they would riot. On the other hand, if labor interests pulled employers to the ground, running a business would be so hard to do that no one would even try.
Workers’ Compensation and the Department of Labor
The Department of Labor is one of the star players on the side of the workers. However, if it gets staffed with people who favor business interests over workers’ rights, it could throw the game. If this happens, workers in St. Joseph could start to see their rights under federal labor laws erode. This would slowly make it more and more difficult to stay safe on the job, and would more difficult to get compensation if something did go wrong.
St. Joseph Workers’ Compensation Attorneys at the Smith Law Office
Workers’ compensation laws are always at the whim of politicians, both here in Missouri and out in Washington D.C.
Despite this uncertainty, the workers’ compensation attorneys at the Smith Law Office always fight for your rights and interests if you suffer a personal injury while on the job. You can count on our attorneys to do everything possible to make sure you get the compensation you deserve.
Contact us online or at (816) 875-9373.