Workers’ compensation insurance is a no-fault system that covers employees who experience a work-related injury or illness. It pays for reasonable medical treatment and a portion of lost wages resulting from the work injury.
To take advantage of these benefits, injured workers must follow certain procedures required by Nebraska law.
To receive workers’ compensation benefits, the following must be true:
- The injury or disease was a direct result of and occurred during employment.
- The injury or disease was not a result of the employee’s willful negligence.
Eligible Employees
Employees who are eligible to receive workers' compensation (including temporary employees) are entitled to work-related injury leave with full pay for up to five (5) scheduled workdays (40 hours or the normal number of hours scheduled in a week).
This leave, for illness or injury arising out of and in the course of employment, is not charged to vacation leave or sick leave.
Absence from work of five (5) days or more due to a work-related injury will reduce the 12 weeks of eligibility for family/medical leave.
Employees receiving workers' compensation for job-related injuries or disease may use sick and/or vacation leave to supplement the payment up to, but not to exceed, their regular rate of pay.
After all sick and vacation leave has been exhausted, employees are not entitled to leave or pay benefits other than workers' compensation. Employees may be put into a leave without pay status during this time without adjustment in the service date.
State of Nebraska Workers’ Compensation Policy and Procedure
What to do if you are injured
Employees must notify their supervisor of the work injury or illness and complete an Employee Injury Report
- Before they leave their shift - preferable
- Within 24 hours of the injury or illness
- As soon as practicable.
The Incident Form should be sent to Environmental Health & Safety (uno.ehs@nebraska.edu) & Risk Management (uno.hrriskmanagement@nebraska.edu) within 24 hours.
Risk Management will follow up with the employee regarding the next steps, including the completion of additional forms.
Medical Treatment
For serious and life-threatening injuries, employees should seek immediate medical treatment.
For other than emergent injuries, employees are to complete the Notice of Employee’s Right to Choose a Doctor – Nebraska Form 50 before they seek medical treatment.
Nebraska Choice of Physician Form
Prior approval for treatment from the workers’ compensation insurance carrier may be required.
Injured employees must provide documentation from their medical provider to their supervisor after each medical appointment and before they return to work. The documentation should identify the date the employee is able to return and any applicable work restrictions.
Time Missed from Work
Employees who, because of their work-related injury or illness, miss time from work to attend appointments or because their medical provider had restricted them from their job are eligible to receive lost time benefits.
There is a 7-day waiting period for lost time benefits. Injured employees are entitled to full pay from the University for up to five (5) scheduled workdays (40 hours or the normal number of hours scheduled in a week).
After the waiting period, workers’ compensation will pay 2/3 of the employee’s average weekly wage for time missed from work.
Employees may use available sick and/or vacation leave to supplement the lost time benefits up to, but not to exceed, their regular rate of pay.
7 Day Wait Period Acknowledgement and Agreement
Absence from work of five (5) days or more due to a work-related injury will reduce the 12 weeks of eligibility for family/medical leave.