DC Workers' Compensation Insurance Flashcards

The DC Workers' Compensation Act requires most DC employers to provide workers' compensation coverage for employees who are injured:

Answer: In the course and scope of their employment

DC workers' compensation law covers employees for injuries and illnesses that arise out of and in the course of their employment.

Which DC agency administers the DC Workers' Compensation program?

Answer: DC Department of Employment Services (DOES)

The DC Department of Employment Services (DOES) oversees the workers' compensation program in the District of Columbia.

Under DC workers' compensation law, temporary total disability (TTD) benefits are typically calculated as what percentage of the employee's average weekly wage?

Answer: 66⅔%

DC workers' compensation provides TTD benefits equal to 66⅔% (two-thirds) of the injured worker's average weekly wage.

In DC, which of the following injuries would typically NOT be covered under workers' compensation?

Answer: An injury sustained while commuting to work on a normal day

Under the 'going and coming' rule, injuries during an ordinary commute to or from work are generally not covered by workers' compensation.

A DC employer that fails to secure required workers' compensation coverage is subject to:

Answer: Civil fines and potential criminal penalties, and remains liable for any employee injuries

Uninsured DC employers face significant civil fines, possible criminal liability, and remain personally responsible for paying workers' compensation benefits to injured employees.

What is the purpose of the DC Second Injury Fund (also called the Special Fund)?

Answer: To encourage hiring of workers with pre-existing disabilities by limiting employers' liability for subsequent combined injuries

The Second Injury Fund limits the employer/insurer's liability when a pre-existing condition combines with a new work injury to create a greater disability, encouraging employers to hire workers with prior disabilities.