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What is workers' comp?

At SAIF, we believe the best way to protect and serve Oregon’s workers and businesses is by making this the safest place to work in the nation.

Workers' compensation insurance (often called "workers' comp") provides benefits for workers who become injured or sick as a result of their work.

The system is designed to prevent or reduce worker injuries, provide appropriate medical treatment and benefits, help injured workers recover and return to work as soon as possible, and protect employers from legal action arising from a workplace injury.

By law, most Oregon employers are required to have a workers' comp insurance policy or be self-insured. So, if your business employs workers in Oregon, you most likely need workers' compensation coverage. 

How it works

Employers pay premiums to workers' compensation insurance companies like SAIF, and those premiums pay for most of the benefits workers receive if they are injured or suffer an occupational disease as a result of their work.

The state legislature makes laws determining the level of benefits injured workers receive and who qualifies for them. The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services regulates the workers' compensation system, ensuring that employers are insured and injured workers receive the benefits to which they are entitled. 

Since 1990, Oregon has had one of the most successful workers' compensation systems in the nation due to reforms that resulted in fewer workplace injuries and employers paying lower rates.  

SAIF's role

SAIF has been helping Oregon employers and workers for over 100 years. As a not-for-profit, state-chartered company, we can focus our attention on policyholders and workers, not making money. 

From thousands of small businesses to some of Oregon's largest employers, SAIF is proud to insure 53% of the workers' compensation market-making us the local leader and expert. 

Learn more

Oregon's workers' comp system is designed to prevent or reduce worker injuries, provide appropriate medical treatment and benefits to injured workers, help injured workers recover and return to work as soon as they're ready, and resolve disputes quickly and fairly.

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