When do Benefits Begin?
Medical benefits for compensable injuries are payable from the date of injury. An injured employee is specifically entitled to reasonable and necessary health care that:
- Cures or relieves the effects naturally resulting from the compensable injury
- Promotes recovery
- Enhances the ability of the employee to return to or retain employment
Are there temporary benefits?
Temporary income benefits (TIBS) accrue from the eighth day of disability and are paid weekly. "Disability" is defined as the inability to obtain and retain employment at wages equivalent to pre-injury because of a compensable injury. An employee's inability to work because of a compensable injury should be documented by his or her treating physician.
What options are included in receiving temporary benefits?
For purposes of receiving temporary income benefits, an employee may elect to:
- Use paid leave by exhausting sick leave first. Once sick leave has been exhausted, an employee may choose to use one or more weeks of other paid leave in lieu of receiving TIBS. Prior to making an election concerning the use of other paid leave, please be advised that although there is a seven day waiting period where TIBS are not payable, should disability extend to the 14th day after the first day of disability, the carrier will issue a TIBS payment for the waiting period. TIBS are never payable as long as you are using paid leave.
- Be placed on leave without pay status immediately and begin receiving temporary income benefits after an initial seven day waiting period.
What types of benefits are offered for work-related injuries?
The University of Texas System Workers' Compensation Insurance (WCI) benefits may include medical, income or death benefits for an employee's work-related injuries. For more information regarding types of benefits, please refer to Employee Benefits.
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