States That Cut Benefits
The data is from 2014, and reveals which states cut, raised or stayed the same when it comes to workers’ compensation benefits. The states that cut benefits are: Texas, California, New York, Florida, Ohio, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Indiana, Tennessee, Missouri, Oklahoma, Washington, Mississippi, Kansas, Arkansas, South Carolina, Nebraska, North Dakota, West Virginia, Idaho, Alaska, Montana, Delaware and Vermont. The number of states that have cut benefits probably surprised you, as it will the thousands of Americans who need to call on these benefits in a given year — but will discover they’re out of luck.
The Most Impacted Industry
Transportation drivers move 9.2 billion tons of freight each year to stock our stores and factories. Out of these three million truck drivers, 3,356 of them will die on the job, leaving their families without income and a way to support themselves. In 18 of the states listed above, transportation drivers are the most common job, which means these states cut workers’ compensation benefits to the workers that need it the most. Texas, California, New York, Florida and Ohio made the most cuts and just happened to have the greatest number of work-related deaths, as well.
Transportation Drivers Aren’t Alone
It’s important to note that while these cuts impacted truck drivers the most, their industry isn’t the only one that’s suffering from the cuts. Primary school teachers saw 396 deaths in 2014, and the three states that have the most school teachers cut benefits. The computer software industry comes next, with 342 deaths. The state with the highest number of such employees cut their benefits. Secretaries and nursing staff are about equal in the number of deaths in 2014, with 243 and 241, respectively. Benefits were cut in one state that employed the most secretaries, and in the state that employed the most nurses. Farm managers saw 67 deaths in 2014, and saw their benefits cut in the state which employed the highest number of them. When you compare the results of each industry that cut benefits and experienced deaths, you will notice that these cuts impact the transportation industry more than any other industry, and that workers in that field are more likely to need workers’ compensation benefits.
What Can You Do?
Even if you aren’t in the transportation industry, these cuts do impact you directly or indirectly. It’s important for you to be aware of where your state stands on the issue and how your state’s representatives voted when it came to these cuts. If you are in the transportation industry and your state voted for these cuts, you may consider looking into and moving to other states that made no change, or even increased their benefits, so that if something were to happen, you’d be protected.
Infographic by: resultsyoudeserve.com
