As soon as possible after treating at FastMed or Emerge, either the same day of the incident or first thing the next morning.  

You must provide all work status notes from the doctor which outline any restrictions you have been given to both your Supervisor and the Workers' Compensation office.  Most restrictions can be accommodated, but if you are given restrictions that prevent ou from returning to work as a result of your injury, your supervisor and/or the Workers' Compensation Analyst will advise you.

If you lose time from work due to an approved Workers' Compensation claim, you may choose one of the following:

• Elect to use earned sick leave during the required 7 day waiting period and then begin drawing Workers' Compensation benefits which are paid weekly.
• Elect to receive no pay during the required waiting period and then begin drawing Workers' Compensation benefits which are paid weekly.
• Elect to supplement the Workers' Compensation benefits with the use of partial earned sick leave in accordance with the State Board of Education Workers' Compensation Policy.

The NC Industrial Commission requires a 7 day waiting period for employees who are injured on the job.  This includes weekends.  If your disability is longer than 21 days, then you are compensated for those 7 days of the waiting period.

An adjuster with either Sedgwick or PMA Companies, who are our Workers' Compensation insurance carrier, will call you to discuss your claim.  The adjuster will take a recorded statement from you about the incident and can help answer most questions you may have.  They approve additional treatment and pay medical bills and any wages that are due.

The NC Industrial Commission states that your employer will direct your medical care if you are injured on the job.  DPS has authorized FastMed Urgent Care and Emerge Ortho to provide initial treatment.  You may not change treating physicians unless you are referred to another physician by the last authorized treating physician and they obtain approval from the Workers' Compensation Insurance Carrier.

While you are out of work, you will not be paid wages from DPS, as you are receiving the insurance benefit from the insurance company. Because our benefits are normally paid via payroll deduction, you will have to manually pay by check for the costs of your benefits.  Contact DPS HR Benefits to make arrangements to pay your benefits.  

Also, since you are not making contributions to the NC Retirement System while not receiving a paycheck from DPS, you WILL NOT earn any service credits as long as you are out of work.  While you are out of work, you do not accrue sick or annual leave.  However, when you return to work after being on Workers' Compensation you will be credited with the amount of leave that you would have earned while out of work.  You must return to work to take advantage of thie benefit.

The NC Industrial Commission guidelines state that you are to be paid two-thirds (2/3) of your average weekly wage using the wages you earned in the 52 weeks prior to your accident.

This amount is not to exceed the maximum established by the Industrial Commission.

You can visit the North Carolina Industrial Commission's website for more information regarding your rights and responsibilities for Workers' Compensation.