The service industry in California forms the backbone of California’s economy. Employing thousands of people, services like fast food, casual dining and fine dining are operated by dedicated business owners. The task of running a restaurant is not an easy one and most restaurant owners can attest to this fact. With California restaurant regulations and compliance being so tight – there is a lot of bureaucracy to get through. By ensuring that a restaurant business is covered by all the appropriate insurance options means that restaurant owners can stop worrying about the bureaucracy and start doing what they do best, running a great restaurant.
No matter how many employees – workers’ compensation is mandatory
Workers compensation insurance is a coverage required by California law. Regardless of the restaurant having one employee or a hundred, the restaurant owner is mandated to take out workers’ compensation insurance, which covers illness and injuries to a worker sustained on the job.
The need for workers’ compensation insurance is obvious when you identify the various dangers and risks associated with daily work in a busy restaurant. Consider all the different categories of employee: chefs, cooks, dishwashers, servers, waiters, bussers, and cleaners. All of these employees face different risks on the job. Burn injuries are common for those working in the kitchen like the chefs, cooks, and dishwashers. Frying pans, hot food, steam or even grease and oil burns from deep fat fryers have the potential to scar an individual for life. Servers and waiters tend to rush around premises, and are at risk from slippage on greasy or wet floors. Add to this potential for further injury from the equipment they are carrying as they fall and a business owner could have a severe injury on their hands.
How can restaurant owners ensure they deal with employee injuries correctly?
If an employee gets sick or is hurt on the job, it is vital that the business owner stay involved, and keeps an open dialogue with the injured employee. If there is a problem that caused the injury, be sure to correct it as soon as possible, and always make the employee aware of their rights.
A restaurant owner who is found to have no workers’ compensation insurance at all can be charged with a criminal offense. This is a serious misdemeanour that can be punishable by a $10,000 fine or a year’s imprisonment. States can also issue fines of up to $100,000 against uninsured employers – so it is vital that restaurant owners take note and ensure they are covered adequately.
To discuss the range of restaurant insurance coverages available and to ensure that your business has adequate workers’ compensation insurance, contact Sutherland-Scherff today.
Almost every employed Californian is protected by workers’ compensation for job related injuries or illness. Therefore it’s important that both employer and employees understand workers’ compensation insurance. Read our Free Guide on Understanding Workers' Compensation Insurance
