School employees who contract COVID-19 could qualify for workers' comp

Schools working on reopening plans should closely monitor CDC and OSHA guidelines and have contract tracing procedures in place. (Photo: Shutterstock)

Although workers’ compensation insurance would not normally cover a virus, many states have extended it to cover COVID-19 for certain essential workers. In California, a temporary “rebuttable presumption” was created that shifted the burden of proving the virus was contracted at work away from the employee. Teachers and other education staff who contract COVID-19 would need to check whether they are eligible for workers’ compensation in their state.