Working more than one job? You might be able to double, triple, or even quadruple the amount of workers compensation benefits you’re entitled to! Most people don’t realize that if they get injured at one of their multiple jobs, then they’re able to claim benefits based upon their lost salary for ALL of their jobs with something called “concurrent employment.”
But how does concurrent employment work? And what do you need to know in order to get compensated for all of your lost income? Let’s break it down.
Concurrent employment refers to the situation where you work two or more jobs at the same time. If you get injured at one of these jobs, workers compensation can cover the wages lost from all your jobs, not just the one where the injury occurred. This is crucial for maximizing your compensation benefits.
When you get hurt at work, your employer’s insurance company usually covers two-thirds of your average weekly wage in cash benefits. This is based on what you made, on average, over the 52 weeks before your injury. So, if you were earning $600 a week, you’d get $400 per week if you’re totally disabled.
But if you had multiple jobs and your injury keeps you from working at any of them, your wages from all those jobs get added together to figure out your benefits. In workers' comp terms, the job where you got hurt is your primary employment, and any other jobs you had at the time count as concurrent employment.
A common example of this is retail workers who also wait tables or customer service reps who drive for Uber or Lyft on the side. If you’re in this situation, you’ll need proof—like tax returns or app records—to show you were actively working those jobs before you got hurt.
Another big one is home health aides, traveling nurses, and healthcare workers who juggle multiple agencies. On paper, it might look like they’re only working part-time for each agency, but when you add it all up, they’re actually working full-time—or even more.
We had a client who worked for eight or nine agencies at once. After her accident, she couldn’t work at any of them. At first, she was only getting the state minimum of $150 per week, but once we factored in all her earnings, she actually qualified for the maximum compensation rate.
For personalized assistance, feel free to reach out to me, Rex Zachofsky, at 212-406-8989. I’ve been a New York workers compensation lawyer for 17 years, driven by my own experience of getting injured on the job. We’re also able to assist with personal injury matters, social security disability, and labor & employment issues.
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