Working from home does not eliminate the risk of injury. You might injure your wrist while typing or hurt your back moving work equipment. This raises an important question: can you receive compensation for injuries while working remotely?
When is a work injury covered in Illinois?
In Illinois, workers’ compensation applies when an injury “arises out of and in the course of” employment. This means most work-related injuries, including dismemberment and repetitive trauma, may be covered under the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act. Showing that work activities or conditions contributed to the injury may help you recover financially.
How do you prove a work-from-home injury?
Proving that an injury sustained while working remotely is work-related requires you to show it occurred during work hours and arose from work activities. The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission (IWCC) considers evidence such as:
- Time records
- E-mails
- Call logs and chat messages
- Meeting invites and calendar entries
- Witness statements, typically co-workers on call or family members
- Documentation of the work task you were performing when injured
- Medical records
Remote work injuries are generally harder to prove because your employers have less control over home environments. Documenting your work activities and reporting injuries promptly may strengthen your claim.
What factors affect your work-from-home injury claim?
Because remote work blurs the line between personal and professional life, insurers often dispute these claims. The IWCC examines factors such as:
- Were you working during scheduled or agreed-upon hours?
- Were you using employer-provided equipment?
- Were you on a personal break unrelated to work?
- Did your job worsen a pre-existing condition?
In Illinois, you generally must notify your employer of an accident within 45 days, though sooner is better. The same deadline applies to repetitive injuries serious enough to warrant compensation, starting from when you knew or should have known the condition was work-related. For radiological exposure, the notice period is 90 days.
To receive compensation, you can file a claim with the IWCC within three years from the date of injury or within two years of the last payment of compensation, whichever is later.
Securing your compensation
By proving the direct connection between your job and the injury you received from working remotely, you protect your right to recover. With a workers’ compensation claim, you can focus on getting better without worrying about costly medical bills.