Your first job brings a lot of exciting changes, from learning new skills to earning your own money. While starting out is a great milestone, you also need to know how to protect yourself if you get injured while on the job.
Teen workplace injuries happen every day in normal summer jobs. Understanding Colorado’s workers’ compensation system isn’t just adult stuff, because it is your legal right.
Watch the quick 60 Second video below: Kids, Summer Jobs and Workplace Injuries with Michael Kaplan
Common Risks for Teen Workplace Injuries
It is easy to dismiss a minor accident at work as just clumsiness, but real workplace injuries happen. Some of the most common risks for first-time workers include the following:
Food Service Workers & Baristas: High risk for burns, cuts, and slipping on wet floors.
Lifeguards & Camp Counselors: Risk of heat exhaustion, dehydration, or physical strain.
Retail Staff & Cashiers: Frequent repetitive strain injuries or heavy lifting strains.
Landscapers & Gardeners: Exposure to hazardous machinery, heat, and lifting injuries.
In every industry, there is a danger of slipping, falling, sustaining a concussion, or straining a muscle by lifting something too heavy. If you get hurt, you shouldn’t just tough it out. Here are the three steps you need to take immediately.
3 Steps to Take Immediately If You Are Hurt at Work
1. Report the Injury to a Manager, In Writing
If you get hurt, tell a supervisor immediately. Do not just mention it in passing. Send a text message or an email to create a digital paper trail. State exactly when the injury happened and briefly describe what body part hurts.
Colorado Law Note: In Colorado, workers are legally required to report a job injury in writing within 10 working days. Don’t wait until the summer ends to flag it.
2. Don’t Just “Tough It Out”; Seek Medical Treatment Immediately
If you need urgent medical attention, seek treatment at the closest hospital first.
- In an emergency, get medical treatment at the closest hospital immediately.
- In non-emergency situations, select one provider from the designated provider list, which should be given to you by your employer within 7 business days after you notify your employer about the injury.
Pro Tip: Keep Track of Your Mileage. You can request reimbursement for mileage and parking for medical visits and for picking up medications or supplies related to the injury. You must request reimbursement within 120 days of travel. The insurance carrier must pay you within 30 days or provide written notice explaining why the reimbursement was denied.
It can be incredibly intimidating to look your boss in the eye and say you can’t finish your shift because you’re hurt. However, your health matters more than a shift. If you feel nervous about advocating for yourself, it is perfectly okay to ask a parent, guardian, or trusted adult to help you speak with your employer.
3. Tell the Treating Doctor Exactly What Happened
When you talk to the medical staff, don’t downplay your symptoms. Make sure the doctor writes down these specific details.
- How the injury happened.
- Every body part that feels painful or stiff (not just the worst one).
- Where it happened, explicitly stating it occurred while on the clock at work.
Nervous About Reporting a Teen Workplace Injury? That Is Normal?
If this is your first job, you might worry that reporting an injury will make your manager mad or get you fired. Under Colorado law, it is illegal for an employer to fire or retaliate against you just for filing a workers’ comp claim.
Look at it this way: You have a long career ahead of you. It is much better to get the medical care you need right now so you can heal completely, rather than letting this injury turn into a chronic health problem that hurts you for years to come.
Know Your Rights as a Young Worker in Colorado
If you are unsure how to talk to your boss, or if your employer is ignoring your injury, you don’t have to figure it out alone. You can read the official Colorado Department of Labor and Employment Injured Worker Guide to see exactly how the state protects your rights.
The legal team at Kaplan Morrell specializes specifically in Colorado workers’ compensation law. For more than twenty years, we have helped workers just like you stand up to insurance companies, handle tough employers, and get the medical care they deserve. We know how stressful it can be to navigate an injury at your very first summer job, and our entire team is ready to step in and help if you need us.
Give our team a call at 970-356-9898 or use our website chat to schedule a completely free, confidential consultation.
We are parents too, so we know exactly how to help you safely navigate this system.
Want to know more about your rights as a young worker in Colorado?
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