In Colorado, employers are required to have workers’ compensation coverage for most employees. The employer cannot charge the workers for coverage. Sadly, many workers discover their employer’s lack of coverage after an industrial injury. Demanding benefits from a non-insured employer can be far more complex and often results in the employer’s bankruptcy and the receipt of no benefits. As an employee, it is in your best interest not to risk it.
There is a website where you can check!
The National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) has developed a website where a contractor, worker, injured worker, or any other party can verify if an employer has Colorado Workers’ Compensation coverage. The Workers Compensation Coverage Verification may provide the name of the insurer who wrote a worker’s compensation policy for a specific employer on a specific date. Please note that NCCI provides workers’ Compensation Coverage Verification for personal, non-commercial use only to verify an employer’s workers’ compensation insurance coverage. There seems to be no reason why an employee cannot run the check at any time.
Click on the image to find out if your employer has workers’ compensation coverage!
Information
The website is imperfect and may reflect coverage where no coverage exists or the reverse. If an employer search does not produce any results, this may not mean that the employer does not have insurance or is operating in violation of Colorado law. Coverage information may not be available or complete for all employers due to limitations with the policy information.
No substitute for just asking the question
You can ask an employer if they have workers’ compensation coverage, but this approach is not infallible. Many employers purchase coverage, then fail to pay premiums, and the policy is canceled. If an employee works for cash, especially if withholding is not occurring, there is a good chance the employer lacks Colorado Workers’ Compensation coverage. Many vulnerable employees are forced into working for employers who seek out vulnerable employees out of desperation. It is a safe bet that if you are being paid in cash, your employer does not have work comp coverage to protect you against work-related injuries.
If you have any doubts about work-comp coverage, first check the website. Second, ask the question. Third, never work for “cash” if you can avoid it.
If you are an injured worker and have any questions concerning workers’ compensation coverage, call me anytime. Don Kaufman 970-947-1776
