It can be tough being a seasonal employee in the retail industry. Low wages, expedited training, long hours, holiday shifts, and sometimes less-than-friendly relations with tenured employees are all part of the reality of the seasonal employee. Whether they are saving extra holiday shopping money for a special someone or simply working hard to pay rent and utilities, these employees are a valuable part of the U.S. economy. 

When a seasonal employee is injured on the job, the damage resonates beyond even a given workplace. Importantly, seasonal employees need to know that they are eligible for compensation for work-related injuries just the same as year-round workers. 

Workers’ Compensation Protects Injured Workers in Illinois 

The retail industry can be quite lucrative for retailers, especially during the busy holiday shopping season. However, the increase in traffic and activity during this time is no excuse for a business to in any way relax or take shortcuts in its duty to maintain a retail environment that is safe for both customers and employees. This is true for both seasonal and non-seasonal employees. 

Every time we see traffic cones, narrowed lanes, and road construction signs on an Illinois highway, we understand the risks faced by the workers who keep the state’s traffic flowing safely. Similarly, when we observe construction cranes over the stunning downtown Chicago panorama from Grant Park or the Art Institute, we can imagine the dangers inherent in the work of those who keep the city growing. Beyond construction, city or state police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians all regularly face danger in their work. 

In some professions, risk abounds. When the unthinkable happens – when a loved one is lost while on the job – Illinois Workers’ Compensation can provide some financial support for their survivors. Nothing can bring back your loved one, but workers’ compensation can keep an already unbearable situation from spiraling into further despair due to the loss of income, medical bills, and funeral expenses.

The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act Governs Eligibility

When an Illinois worker is injured on the job, the type of benefits the employee is eligible for are typically referred to as “disability benefits.” These benefits cover not just medical bills and lost income stemming from the workplace accident, but also any lost earning potential that the worker has suffered as a result of any physical or mental impairment caused by the accident.  

The Chicago area is a complex and ever-growing network of transportation, industry, commerce, education, and daily life. Whether driving up Lake Shore Drive, down 90/94, or west on 290, one can only marvel at size and scope of the area. While the city’s skyline might appear to magically expand, building by building and floor by floor, such development is, of course, the product of the labor of the city’s workers. 

The same is true of Chicago area roads and bridges. In a city that is pummeled by winter weather for much longer than the season’s official three months, near constant upkeep of this infrastructure is required. This responsibility again falls to Illinois workers. 

Because the construction and maintenance of Chicagoland’s buildings, transportation grid, and utilities occurs amidst the near infinite moving parts and people of daily life, work-related accidents and injuries are bound to happen. Fortunately for Illinois workers, the state has a “no-fault” statute with regard to work-related injuries. This law that can make all the difference in obtaining the compensation you need and deserve after suffering a work-related injury.