Is Massachusetts workers’ compensation enough?

When an employee is injured or dies on the job, workers’ compensation benefits are set in motion. With the high costs of funeral expenses, workers’ compensation benefits in Massachusetts may not be enough since the maximum amount paid is $4000. The Families of Fallen Workers Burial Act may raise the amount of benefits paid out.

The new bill would raise the benefit payout from $4,000 to $8,000. At this time, families can expect to pay a minimum of $9,000 for a general funeral and the average cost for a funeral is almost $7,800. One family member that was affected was forced to seek funding by holding a fundraiser since just a portion of the funeral expenses for her daughter totaled nearly $8,000.

Another family member that was affected lost her father back in 2005 in a work related death after he was electrocuted. In a similar situation, the family was faced with a substantial financial setback as workers’ compensation did little to offset the funeral expenses. The Senator believes that surviving families should be able to focus on healing rather than feeling the growing concern of funeral costs.

The untimely death of a loved one on the job is a trying experience for many Massachusetts families. The Families of Fallen Workers Burial Bill may be a way to increase the amount of workers’ compensation benefits for employee deaths and can help ease grief stricken families of funeral expenses. Those who are injured on the job have the right to stake their claims under our workers’ compensation laws.

Source: ehstoday.com, Families of Workplace Fatality Victims Struggle to Pay Funeral Costs, Sandy Smith, Oct. 9, 2013