This article is not a substitute for legal advice.
New Resource: Workers’ Compensation Guide for Maryland Agricultural Employers
By Nicole Cook, Environmental and Agricultural Faculty Legal Specialist
ALEI’s Samantha Capaldo and Nicole Cook, both of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore’s Extension, recently published a guide to workers’ compensation for Maryland agricultural employers. Workers’ compensation is a type of insurance that compensates employees for lost wages and medical bills due to a work-related accidental injury or an occupational disease. In Maryland, most employers with one or more “covered employees” are required to purchase workers’ compensation insurance. Agricultural employers are required to purchase workers’ compensation insurance if the employer’s annual payroll is more than $15,000 for full-time employees and the employer has more than three full-time employees.
Although some agricultural employers are exempt, due to the inherently dangerous nature of farming, Maryland agricultural employers should consider adding workers’ compensation coverage to their risk management portfolios to protect themselves and their employees.
The new guide gives an overview of the requirements for all employers subject to the Maryland Workers’ Compensation Act. The guide also outlines who is covered by workers’ compensation, which injuries are covered, what benefits are provided, how to obtain coverage, employee and employer obligations in the event of a claim, and penalties for violating the act.
Share this Post