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Tampa Workers' Compensation Attorney / Blog / Workers Compensation / Your Paycheck Will Probably Get Bigger In 2022

Your Paycheck Will Probably Get Bigger In 2022

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Issues recruiting and retaining workers are the primary reasons that wages are expected to grow 3.4 percent across the board in 2022.

That figure is much higher than wage growth during 2021 and 2022. A combination of factors, such as child care duties, public health fears over COVID-19, and worker burnout, have reduced the labor force. At the same time, inflation has forced companies to pay more money in order to attract and keep workers. Corporate profits, which are up as well, also factor in.

Higher pay isn’t the only way companies are competing for workers. Some are also focusing on career advancement, mental well-being programs, and other workplace elements to keep employees happy and engaged.

Lost Wage Replacement and Temporary Disabilities

Moderate broken bones are a good example of a temporarily disabling, work-related injury. Hairline fractures and stress fractures might not qualify for workers’ compensation benefits, since these victims might not need to miss work. Serious broken bones are usually permanently disabling, as outlined below.

Temporary disability victims are usually entitled to two-thirds of their Average Weekly Wage until their doctors clear them to go back to work.

Incidentally, Tampa job injury victims usually get to choose their own physicians. For a company doctor, the patient’s welfare often takes a back seat to the boss’s bottom line. But an individual doctor only cares about the patient. A Tampa workers’ compensation lawyer can connect job injury victims with a private physician, if needed.

The AWW doesn’t only include regular, cash compensation. It also includes irregular and/or non-cash compensation, like prorated signing bonuses, expense reimbursement, and performance bonuses.

Additionally, the AWW calculation doesn’t just include prior wages. It also includes future wages. This part of the calculation is where factors like expected wage increases come into play.

Assume Jim gets hurt at work the day before his initial probationary period ends. If his AWW wage replacement is based on hir probationary earnings, the figure doesn’t accurately reflect how much money he loses. So, his AWW must be based on his future wages. The same thing is true if Jim’s injury forces him to miss overtime opportunities.

Lost Wage Replacement and Permanent Disabilities

Usually, serious broken bones are permanently disabling, at least to an extent. These injuries, especially broken shoulders, ankles, and other joints, usually never entirely heal. The victim must live with permanent loss of motion. Sometimes, the loss of motion is severe. Occupational diseases, like toxic exposure and hearing loss, are usually permanently disabling as well, once again at least to an extent.

“Disability” is not a medical term. Instead, the D-work basically describes how a medical condition affects everyday life post-workplace injury. If the activity restrictions are personal, like the inability to swim laps, the disability is usually partial. If the restriction is professional, the disability is usually total.

Total disability compensation is also based on the AWW. To calculate far future AWW, many attorneys partner with accountants and other outside professionals.

Count on a Thorough Hillsborough County Attorney

Injury victims are entitled to important financial benefits. For a free consultation with an experienced Tampa workers’ compensation lawyer, contact Kobal Law. We do not charge upfront legal fees in these cases.

Source:

cnbc.com/2022/01/18/us-companies-are-expecting-to-pay-a-3point4percent-raise-to-workers-in-2022.html

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