Several states have laws that permit individual workers to receive workers’ compensation benefits if they become infected with communicable diseases like COVID-19 in the course and scope of their employment. Workers’ compensation coverage will provide a monetary benefit and may also cover medical treatment costs associated with COVID-19. If a worker recovers from COVID-19 and continues to experience long-term symptoms that interfere with their ability to work, they may be eligible for extending their workers’ compensation claim, accruing additional benefits. Eligibility for workers’ compensation requires the claimant to prove that they were infected with COVID-19 at work, which may be difficult due to how infectious the virus is and the possibility that the claimant could have been exposed to COVID-19 elsewhere. An individual’s eligibility for workers’ compensation benefits will depend on their individual circumstances and the state they live in. The application process for workers’ compensation will vary between states.

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