Under Arizona law, all employers with one employee or more are required to take workers’ compensation insurance for their staff. This includes full-time as well as part-time workers.
Usually, this type of insurance covers any employee injured in a work-related accident, no matter who is at fault. It saves you from financial losses and, to some significant extent, employee litigation.
Employment issues in Arizona are usually handled by the Industrial Commission of Arizona, otherwise known as ICA. This agency is a regulatory body in charge of enforcing state laws relating to the protection of the health, safety, life, and welfare of Arizona employees.
That said, as an employer, you definitely want to know what the Arizona ICA covers to ensure you are in compliance. So, here is a breakdown of the major areas:
Workers’ Compensation
Every business owner with employees must carry workers’ compensation, and it is the ICA’s duty to enforce this. Usually, when a worker is injured, they are required to inform the employer immediately. The employer then furnishes the employee with their carrier’s information, and the employee proceeds to file a worker’s compensation claim.
Once notified, the insurance company investigates the injury and pays out damages to the injured employee.
If, for some reason, an employee’s workers’ comp claim is disputed or denied, they can schedule a hearing with the Arizona ICA. The agency has a claim division for hearing these issues. They examine these cases and then deliver rulings on them. So, employees no longer have to go through the courts to resolve worker’s comp issues.
Payment of Wages
The ICA also oversees issues regarding employee wages. Basically, employees can take their unpaid wage complaints to the agency for resolution. This includes unpaid hours worked, minimum wage violations, earned paid sick time denial and any employer discrimination with regard to wages.
Occupational Safety and Health
All employees are entitled to a safe work environment under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH) of 1970. And it is the employer’s duty to provide these safe working conditions for their workers. Still, there are thousands of reported health and safety cases in the country every year. ICA also deals with hearing employee issues regarding workplace injuries and illnesses resulting from hazardous and dangerous conditions.
Youth Labor
While people are allowed to work and earn a wage before attaining the legal age of 18, there are rules and restrictions governing the type of work they can do and the number of hours they can typically work. And it is the ICA’s job to enforce fair and lawful practices regarding youth labor in Arizona.
Complying with Arizona ICA is the Best Way to Protect Your Business
As an employer, it is your duty to provide a safe and healthy work environment. It is also your responsibility to secure coverage for your workers against possible workplace injuries. If you are in Arizona, not following these rules will have you dealing with ICA, the primary body responsible for protecting employee welfare.
