Workers’ compensation benefits have long been in place to pay for the care of people hurt on the job. By and large, physical injuries and ailments are easy to see compared to mental illnesses, such as anxiety or depression. Florida and other states have been gradually recognizing that workplace conditions or traumatic events can result in workplace harm in the form of mental illness.
Link between workplace injuries and mental illness
A study that looked at the mental health of injured health care workers found a relationship between physical injury and anxiety or depression. Compared to uninjured workers, people hurt at work reported more symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Limited access to mental health care
The post-traumatic stress disorder suffered by people who work as first responders has inspired a number of states to include some mental health care benefits. People in these occupations tend to encounter disturbing events that shake them up emotionally. Sometimes a single event is so terrible that it strains mental health. In other situations, difficult day-to-day working conditions wear people down mentally and potentially contribute to injuries.
As a result, the Florida legislature has authorized workers’ compensation coverage for workers whose mental illness resulted from a physical on-the-job injury. If your workplace injury has produced unmanageable mental strain, then you could explore what workers’ compensation benefits you could be entitled to.
Better mental health could speed recovery
Employers have an interest in helping their people get back to work in a timely manner. The worries that weigh on the minds of injured workers, who may fear losing their livelihoods, can make physical recovery take longer. Insurance policies that pay for mental health counseling could speed up physical recovery and thereby benefit all parties involved.
