Ever landed a job that stressed you out so much you wished you could demand your employer to compensate you for what they had put you through? If you ever thought of claiming compensation for stress at work but ended up not doing it, you are probably one of those who think of stress as a mere excuse to avoid work. It is not. In fact, stress can lead to more serious health problems that can negatively impact your overall wellbeing and serve as bases for compensation settlements. Read on to know more about this from the specialist lawyers for workers compensation claims in Perth.
Can you hold your employer responsible for your stress?
It may not look like it, but yes—it is every employer’s duty to look after their staff and ensure that they are provided with every form of assistance and support they need to perform their jobs more efficiently. That means if your employer is doing nothing to reduce stress in your workplace, they may be held liable should you or any of your colleagues pursue a claim against them. This is especially true if they have already been called out for the problem but still refused to take any action to change your working conditions.
Can you claim personal injury compensation for work-related stress?
If your stress has led to more serious health issues leaving you unable to work and earn, you may start to wonder whether you can claim compensation for what has happened to you. Actually, yes—you can file a compensation claim in this case, provided that your stress-related condition is serious enough to warrant a compensation. Since it is hard to define what “stress in the workplace” means, it all boils down to how we define a “personal injury” and how we can associate this injury to negative working conditions such as bullying and harassment, lack of training and support, too much workload, and denial of employee rights. Psychological illnesses and physical illnesses are treated the same way, so any damage to your psychological health—which includes stress—is considered a personal injury.
How much compensation can you receive?
Once you have established that your stress is a result of your poor working conditions and that you have a case to file a stress at work claim, the next question to cross your mind is how much compensation you will receive for making a claim. Well, it depends on how seriously you have been affected by work-related stress, the treatment you need, and your future prognosis. Usually, cases are categorized as severe, moderately severe, and less severe.
If your stress has already affected your personal relationships and has made it difficult for you to cope with life after that, your case may be considered as severe and may entitle you to a higher compensation. But if your stress has left you able to cope with life with more ease, then your case may be considered as moderately severe or less severe and may entitle you to less compensation.
How do you make a claim?
Whatever your case, it is important that you know your rights as an employee and that you try to sort out your situation as soon as you recognize that your work-related stress is already taking its toll on you. If your employer refuses to hear you out, then it would be best to arrange a consultation with a personal injury and compensation specialist to help you process your claim.
