Can you skip 3 paydays without worrying about keeping your rent and car payments up? Anybody that counts on Workmen's comp to keep them going through their down time is out of their minds. Your family needs money NOW! If you have been injured on the job you will need more money now, to drive back and forth to doctor appointments if nothing else.
Short term disability pays a portion of your wages for up to one year if you are thrown out of work due to injury. Some employers pay for this benefit for their employees, some will offer it only as an option for employees to purchase.

You might scorn having to pay for it out of your own pocket but you just go to Talewins.com/Life/ and fill out an application to see how much money you'll be saving by buying it through your employer. Employer sponsored Disability Insurance will often cover you against loss of work because of illness too.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition, you need to grab the insurance during the initial enrollment period. That's when a medical exam is usually not required.

It's also a bad idea to go malingering because these kind of tags will follow your employment record from one job to the next. It won't take long for your new employer to decide s/he is better off without you. One guy I know thought he was sneaking one over on his employer and suddenly found himself facing a 1 man layoff situation. Anymore these guys know how to clean their skirts while scraping their boots.

Not even a smart lawyer can keep you gainfully employed when the whole deck is stacked against you.

You cannot get a long term disability policy if
(1) you are now or are soon to become pregnant,
(2) make less than $18,000 per year,
(3) are currently unemployed, or
(4) if you are required to carry a weapon for your job.
Typically, the waiting period for long-term insurance protection to kick is at least 60 days and as much as a year.

So now you know the worst of it. There is really no way to come out ahead by getting hurt on the job. What you really want to do is live long and prosper in good health.

The first step to insure you don't get hurt on the job is to EXERCISE. Not only do you want your muscles strong enough to do the work, you want to maintain elasticity. Just taking a few minutes to limber up can pay great dividends. Being strong enough to pull yourself out of harm's way might save your life someday.

Your second step is to be safety conscious. I came up with this saying that has stood me in good stead for 35 years now.. ACCIDENTS, IF YOU DON'T DO SOMETHING ABOUT THEM, THEY JUST SEEM TO HAPPEN. Sure, it's quicker to do it stupid, but stupid gets to be a habit, and bad safety habits can lead to a permanent disability – like the loss of an eye, hand or foot.

The best time to think about safety is when you're changing a routine, begin using a new machine, or starting a new job. If you can't take a notebook on the job with you carry some blank index cards. In these kinds of instances you'll spot unsafe practices way ahead of time, but later you'll start appreciating stupid behavior more. So write little notes to yourself at break time or slack moments.

(A) write down the danger you see in the situation.

(B) Later, you want to think the matter through and plan how to incorporate safety in the performance of your job.

Night shifts, and especially swing shifts can breed accidents like bubonic flies spreading the Blue Bonnet Plague. If your brain is befuddled for lack of adequate sleep you need to be more alert than ever. “Think Safety” placards on all 4 walls isn't enough. Your reaction times can be seriously imperiled for lack of sleep and what you were easily doing safely when you were wide awake can now be hazardous to your health.

Your primary line of defense is getting enough rest in spite of what shift you are on. A lot of people think that just because they can't go to sleep they have a good excuse for working in the garden. Nope, if you honestly can't sleep then you need MORE rest, not less.

Put your dumb bells down and look around smartly for something that will put you to sleep. For me the best ways of going to sleep are: reading a boring book, listening to a stupid lecture, but when all is said and done I will sleep better if I drift off to sleep naturally while listening to Navajo Flute music or classical music. You'll need to find your own Siesta Snatching Sensitivity Switch, and the best time to look for one is before you get caught up in the new shift strains.

Another thing you can do is to take the long way to work. Take the hills in low gear, watch the scenery, count the yellow polky-dotted Volkswagens you meet along the way, or maybe just play some exhilarating symphony music that puts a smile on your face.

Remember this, the guy or gal that looks happy at work will often be promoted first, and wind up with that job of twirling pencils. But, until then, keep your premiums paid up and THINK SAFETY.