Di Bartolomeo Law Office - August 2022

Choosing Joy Every Day School’s Out! What Can You Do? 3 WAYS TO FOSTER A POSITIVE ATTITUDE

In today’s society, we are faced with tragic stories and upsetting information, no matter where we turn. This can quickly lead us to a negative mindset where we believe things can’t be fixed and will only get worse, so it’s even more important now to establish a positive mindset. Though it might be easier to bury your head in the sand, fostering positivity in your life will provide you with many benefits.

But doing so is easier said than done. If you’re unsure where to begin, try out some of these methods to help you get started.

a gratitude journal and write a few things you are thankful for each day. Over time, that thought process will seep into your daily life.

FOCUS ON THE SILVER LINING. When something bad or unfortunate happens, we are quick to think about the negatives and how they will impact us in the future. Instead, we should be searching for a silver lining. You can find a positive in any situation, but you’ll have to put in the effort to flip your perspective. KEEP A GRATITUDE JOURNAL. When we think about gratitude and thankfulness, our minds usually think about Thanksgiving. But we don’t need to wait for a special day to show gratitude. Things happen to us every day that we should be grateful for. If you’re struggling to acknowledge your blessings, keep

SURROUND YOURSELF WITH POSITIVE PEOPLE. The people we associate with play a huge role in our mental well- being. If you’re constantly around people who put you down or tell you that you can’t accomplish certain things, you will feel worse about yourself — or even believe them. You need to block the negative people from your life and surround yourself with those who think optimistically.

Establishing a positive mindset in today’s world may be difficult, but it is not impossible if you develop a strategy and follow through with it.

KNOW THE SIGNS Injured Workers Need Support, Not Sabotage

When you’re injured as an employee — whether it be in the workplace or from an underlying or previous cause — you tend to expect your employers to be supportive, right? Unfortunately, that is not always the case. It is important to be wary of the signs of a hostile employer because there are times when they will try to undermine a workers’ compensation claim.

Since employees are under a time limit (90 days from an acute injury) to file their claim, an employer may take advantage of that and sabotage the claim. They will tell you to wait until the end of the season or may even refuse to provide the claim form. If that is the case, you can contact Oregon’s Workers’ Compensation Ombudsman. This office advocates for injured workers and helps navigate the claim filing process. You can also go to Oregon’s Workers’ Compensation Division’s “Employer Index” page and find coverage information regarding your employer. ABUSE OF MODIFIED WORK RELEASE While a worker is seeking treatment for an on-the-job injury, Oregon’s Workers’ Compensation allows an employer to offer a modified job in the meantime. Although

in a sense it is good as it allows a worker to get back into the workplace, employers can actually use this to intimidate or harass the injured worker. Employers abuse this by creating menial jobs to demean their employees and won’t honor physical limitations set out in the modified job descriptions. We encourage our clients to have the job description on standby so they can show the supervisor and offer any work within those limitations. If it doesn’t work, you may need to contact an adjuster or see a physician to clarify or confirm what you can and cannot do. Filing a workers’ compensation claim can be a difficult task, so contact us at 503-325-8600 so we can answer any questions you have or provide resources or referrals. We can help you navigate this process and make sure you know where you stand.

Here are some signs to look out for to ensure you get the compensation you deserve.

POSTPONING THE CLAIM In the state of Oregon, by law, it is required for employers to have workers’ compensation coverage for their employees. If a worker is injured on the job, the employer is expected and required to send the claim to their insurer within five days.

Sometimes employers will try to convince their workers to postpone filing their claims.

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The Di Bartolomeo Law Office, P.C. 1139 Exchange Street | Astoria, Oregon | 503-325-8600 | www.JoeDiBartolomeo.com

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