For some workers, getting injured on-the-job is a daily possibility. For example, construction workers realize that there are a number of hazards that can cause an accident or injury at a construction site. For others, possible work injuries are less obvious until an injury or illness actually occurs.
This was the case for a number of workers at a factory plant that makes parts for Apple. In recent years Apple has become a household name, mostly due to its popular products such as the iPad and iPhone. The company that owns the plant began to use a different chemical in order to speed up production. Unfortunately that chemical has been poisoning some of the plant workers.
Though the factory is overseas, there are still some parallel workers’ compensation issues that have been raised. One of the main concerns raised by some of the plant workers is whether the compensation offered will be enough in the future. The current consensus is that the amount being offered is not enough. Workers are worried that if they leave the company and still suffer from the chemical poisoning, the current compensation will not cover future medical costs.
A spokesperson for the company has already stated that if workers are still affected by the illness after leaving the company, it will compensate them accordingly. The company currently has a certain set of money set aside for workers’ compensation in this particular situation.
Similarly, suffering a work injury in America can also have serious physical and financial repercussions. And one of the bigger concerns is how a worker will continue to be affected by the injury even after leaving the company. For injured workers, workers’ compensation will help them get the medical treatment that is needed.
Source: Reuters online, “Chinese workers seek more in Apple supplier’s plant poison case,” Clare Jim and Suilee Wee, 25 February 2011
