Definition

Noun: A system of insurance, typically mandated by law, that provides financial benefits to employees (or their dependents) who suffer job-related injuries, illnesses, or death. It is a form of employer liability insurance.

Usage

This term functions exclusively as a compound noun. It refers to the legal and insurance system itself, not the individual payment. * Employers are required by law to carry workmen's compensation insurance. * The injured carpenter filed a claim for workmen's compensation. * The company's workmen's compensation costs increased after several accidents.

Advanced Usage

• The term is sometimes considered dated due to the gendered "workmen's." Modern and more inclusive equivalents like workers' compensation or workers' comp (informal) are now predominantly used in legal and official contexts, though "workmen's compensation" may still appear in older statutes or discussions.
• It is often used attributively (as a noun modifier) before other nouns.
  • workmen's compensation laws
  • a workmen's compensation case
  • the workmen's compensation board

Variants and Related Words

• Workers' compensation: The modern, standard term.
• Workers' comp (n., informal): A common abbreviation.
• Employer's liability: A related legal concept focusing on the employer's responsibility.
• Disability insurance: A broader category that can include non-occupational injuries/illnesses.

Synonyms

• Workers' compensation
• Industrial insurance (context-specific)
• Occupational injury benefits

Related Phrases

• To be on workers' comp: An informal phrase meaning to be receiving temporary disability benefits due to a work-related injury.
  • He's been on workers' comp since his fall at the construction site.
• Workers' compensation claim: The formal application for benefits.
  • Filing a workers' compensation claim can be a complex process.

Noun

1. compensation for death or injury suffered by a worker in the course of his employment