Who is primarily eligible for workers' compensation benefits?

Workers' compensation benefits are primarily designed to provide financial support and medical care for employees who suffer job-related injuries or illnesses. This system exists to protect workers by ensuring that they receive appropriate compensation for work-related incidents without needing to prove fault.

Employees of an organization are covered under the workers' compensation laws that vary by state or jurisdiction. These laws generally require employers to carry workers' compensation insurance if they have a certain number of employees, thus ensuring that workers are protected in case of on-the-job accidents. Employees typically have a defined employer-employee relationship, which is a key factor for coverage under these benefits.

In contrast, independent contractors and freelancers typically operate as separate entities, not classified as employees within organizations, which disqualifies them from automatic eligibility for workers' compensation. While some states may extend certain benefits to independent contractors in specific situations, the general rule is that they do not receive workers' compensation like employees do. Similarly, volunteers are generally not covered because they do not have an employer-employee relationship, and therefore, they lack the same legal protections without specific provisions or policies in place by the organization they volunteer for.