Workers Comp. Issue/Claim, CO

[LiquidCrystal]

I work for a company here in Colorado where i recently injured myself, Went to MY health provider to assure i did indeed have a hernia, not just one, but 3. I was told from my store manager prior, that on my next paycheck my raise was going through. I then told my company the next day i indeed had a hernia and asked what i needed to do. My boss had no idea what to do about it, so i took it upon myself to call the HR guy and he explained what i needed to do. I filled out my first injury report, set up my doctors appointments with the workers comp doctors and after my first visit to Kaiser, i was insured again that i did indeed have a hernia and was told not to lift more than 20 lbs. So i get back to work the next day and explain to my boss what is going on with me and all that. Since i reported my injury to my employer they have been treating me like crap and not taking my injury into consideration with anything, i was sent home that very next day for being 10 minutes late when every Wednesday and Thursday i sit outside my store in the freezing cold at 6:30 a.m because my boss is not there to open on time like hes suppose to? He should at least clock me in at my scheduled time instead of a half hour late due to HIM which he does not do. So, Yesterday we got paid and i asked my boss if my raise was on this weeks payroll like he told me it was going to be, and his words were, "Well i talked to Keith *HR* and he told me i cant put your raise through because you filed a claim and im not sure what were going to be doing with you, and if your going to be on light work or not." So, of course i am angry, i have been with the company for about a year and have seen what they do to EVERY employee and how they will manipulate them into quitting there job so they dont have to pay for unemployment. I have several witness's to how they treat the employees, there stories on HOW and WHY they were fired, My raise before and after my injury, and the way things are ran at this store with not only employee's, but the most shady things they could do to an actual CUSTOMER!! I have PLENTY of stories and incidents that could lead to serious injury for that customer. So my question is, is there anything i can do about this or do i just wait it out until after my surgery and find a new job?? Or can i take this further and explain my situation to an attorney? Thanks.

 

[Beth3]

In the great majority of States (and likely all), it is prohibited to retaliate against an employee for filing a WC claim in good faith. (In other words, the employee isn't filing a fraudulent claim.) That being the case, you can contact your State's Workers Compensation Division and file a complaint for their withholding your pay raise because you filed a WC claim. Your employer is being incredibly stupid about this.