--- title: "Burned at Work: Does Workers’ Comp Pay?" description: "For private-sector jobs, workers’ comp is run by your state. Treat the burn, get care if it’s serious, tell your employer, and contact your state board." url: https://www.tipmaxapp.com/us/answers/burned-at-work-workers-comp language: en publisher: TipMax (Entermaurs Incorporated) date_published: 2026-09-23 last_verified: 2026-09-23 --- # I got burned at work. Does workers’ comp pay for it, and what do I do first? **Short answer:** **Whether workers’ comp pays depends on your state’s program, because for private-sector jobs it’s run by the states.** The U.S. Department of Labor says people hurt on the job at private companies should contact their state workers’ compensation board, and it keeps a directory of them. First, care for the burn and get medical help if it’s serious. Then tell your employer. OSHA says you have the right to report an injury without retaliation. ## Step by step Say you grab a sizzle plate at 7:40 p.m. and burn your palm (illustrative). 1. **Cool it.** MedlinePlus says to run cool water over a minor burn, not ice water, for at least 5 to 30 minutes, then cover it with a dry, sterile bandage or clean dressing. 2. **Decide if it’s serious.** MedlinePlus says to call 911 if the burn is about the size of your palm or larger, looks severe, is from chemicals or electricity, or you aren’t sure how serious it is. 3. **Tell your manager the same shift.** Say what happened, when, and who saw it. Ask how the restaurant wants the injury reported. 4. **Write it down.** Date, time, what you touched, who was there, and where you got care. Take a photo of the burn. 5. **Find your state program.** DOL’s directory lists each state’s workers’ compensation office and links to its website. Rules and deadlines are set by the state. > **Example wording** > > **Text to your manager:** “Hi Jordan, I burned my palm on a sizzle plate at about 7:40 tonight. I ran it under cool water and Maria saw it happen. I’m going to urgent care. How do I report it as a work injury?” **Not tax or legal advice.** Names and times are made up. This isn’t medical advice either; if you aren’t sure how bad a burn is, get it checked. ## Plain English ### Who runs workers’ comp The Department of Labor’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs runs four federal programs: the Federal Employees’ Compensation Program, the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Program, the Federal Black Lung Program, and the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program. DOL says people injured on the job while working for private companies, or for state and local governments, should contact their state workers’ compensation board. So for a restaurant job, your state’s program decides whether your burn is covered, what it pays, and how and when to file. DOL’s State Workers’ Compensation Officials page links to each state’s office. ### First aid for a burn MedlinePlus, from the National Library of Medicine, sorts burns into minor and major. Minor burns are first-degree burns anywhere, or second-degree burns less than 2 to 3 inches wide. Major burns include third-degree burns, larger second-degree burns, and second-degree burns on the hands, feet, face, groin, buttocks, or over a major joint. Major burns need urgent medical care. - **Minor burn, skin unbroken:** cool water (not ice water) for at least 5 to 30 minutes, then a dry, sterile bandage or clean dressing. Protect it from pressure and rubbing. - **Don’t** put oil, butter, ice, or home remedies on a severe burn, and don’t break blisters. - **Call 911** for a burn about the size of your palm or larger, a severe burn, a chemical or electrical burn, signs of shock, or if you aren’t sure. - **See a provider** if a minor burn still hurts after 48 hours, or right away if you see signs of infection: pus, fever, more pain, red streaks, or swollen lymph nodes. ### Reporting it at work OSHA says workers have the right to use their rights under the law without retaliation, including reporting an injury. If you’re retaliated against, OSHA says to file a complaint as soon as possible and no later than **30 days**. Workers also have the right to review records of work-related injuries and illnesses. You can reach OSHA at 1-800-321-6742. To avoid the next burn, see OSHA’s advice in [slips, burns and cuts](https://www.tipmaxapp.com/us/answers/slips-burns-and-cuts-for-servers). ## Common mistakes - Putting ice or butter on a burn. - Finishing the shift and telling no one. - Telling a coworker instead of a manager. - Skipping the doctor for a big or blistering burn to save a shift. - Assuming another state’s workers’ comp rules apply to yours. ## Official sources - [U.S. Department of Labor: Workers’ Compensation](https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/workcomp) - [U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs: State Workers’ Compensation Officials](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/owcp/wc) - [MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Burns](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000030.htm) - [Occupational Safety and Health Administration: Young Worker Safety in Restaurants eTool (workers’ rights)](https://www.osha.gov/etools/young-workers-restaurant-safety) ## Last verified September 23, 2026. Checked DOL’s Workers’ Compensation topic page and its State Workers’ Compensation Officials directory, MedlinePlus’s Burns article (reviewed April 9, 2026), and OSHA’s restaurant eTool on workers’ rights. **Still open:** Coverage, benefits, and filing deadlines are set by each state’s program and aren’t covered here. ## Related - [Slips, burns and cuts: floor safety for servers](https://www.tipmaxapp.com/us/answers/slips-burns-and-cuts-for-servers) - [How hot can a restaurant kitchen legally get?](https://www.tipmaxapp.com/us/answers/how-hot-can-a-restaurant-kitchen-get) - [Calling in sick as a server](https://www.tipmaxapp.com/us/answers/calling-in-sick-as-a-server) - [Can servers get unemployment?](https://www.tipmaxapp.com/us/answers/can-servers-get-unemployment) ## How TipMax helps with this If you miss shifts after an injury, a dated record of the shifts you worked before and after can help when you talk about lost pay. TipMax is an iPhone app for servers and bartenders that tracks tips and tip-outs and turns a restaurant menu into study flashcards. - Log cash and card tips per shift in seconds. - Weekly, monthly, and pay-period totals. - Download all your data as a CSV any time. Download TipMax free: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/tipmax-study-track-earn/id6744850146 --- TipMax Answers gives practical tips for hospitality workers. Follow your restaurant’s training, allergen procedures, and local alcohol-service rules. It is **not legal, medical, or tax advice**.