When a worker in Illinois is injured on the job -- performing their work duties at their place of work -- they can look to the workers' compensation system for assistance. Workers' compensation benefits can help to pay for medical expenses, replace lost wages and to compensate injured workers for a reduction in the their ability to do their job. In cases where the injury prevents a worker from returning to work for an extended period or results in a long-term disability, the worker may also qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits.
Even though they may sometimes overlap -- offering benefits for the same injury -- Illinois workers' compensation and SSDI are not the same thing. Workers' comp is an insurance that an employer pays for. If an employee is injured on the job, the workers' compensation insurance is triggered to offer the worker benefits for the injury. In exchange for paying workers' comp premiums, employers enjoy reduced liability for on-the-job injuries.
