There are numerous federal rules establishing the right of employees, including workers performing international jobs in support of military operations. Those working domestic jobs have clear protections at both the federal and state levels based on where they do their work. However, some employees may have to go overseas if they work for a company that contracts with the military. While they may have the protection of workers’ compensation coverage when doing their jobs at a domestic location, those workers won’t necessarily have the same rights and benefits when working outside of the countr ..read more

A recent report from Brown University provides some disturbing information about inadequate compensation under the Defense Base Act (DBA) for foreign workers hired by Pentagon contractors to work on U.S. bases in Afghanistan during the war who were injured or killed. Many were from Nepal and other developing countries. These third-country nationals (TCN) could be hired for lower wages than Americans. The report, which is part of the Costs of War Project, also sheds light on the rate of injuries and deaths of these workers compared to their U.S. counterparts. These bases have been a common targ ..read more

Generally speaking, anyone working on a military base understands that this can be a dangerous profession. This is true even if you’re a civilian contractor who is being sent overseas. You might not be in the military, but you understand that being on a base could expose you to dangers dealing with the armed conflict in the area. This is all true, and you do need to be wary of these risks. But it’s also important to note that a lot of injuries that people suffer on military bases have absolutely nothing to do with conflict. Let’s look at some examples of how these injuries really take place. E ..read more

Whether you’re a dock worker, a longshoreman or hold another maritime position, you have to be pretty physically fit for your job – so almost any significant injury is going to put you out of work. When that happens, you have a right to expect something called “maintenance and cure.” This is true whether you contributed to your accident and injuries or not. Knowing as much as you can about your rights can help you protect them. Here’s what you need to know: What is maintenance? This is a rather old-fashioned term for your daily living expenses, or per diem. If you would normally receive room a ..read more

An extension of the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, the Defense Base Act (DBA) provides much-needed medical and financial benefits to the injured employees of U.S. government contractors working overseas. Just the same, injured workers are often unsure of what they need to do to protect their interests after an injury. One of the biggest mysteries workers face is what they need to do to get the medical care they need after something happens. Here are a three tips: Report your injury immediately to your supervisor. This makes it clear that you’re injured, and that the injury is ..read more

The United States military is a massive global economic force. It is a major employer of servicemembers and a driver of demand for skills civilians as well. Anywhere that the United States has a military presence, there may be military bases and civilian support staff. Contractors who take positions in overseas locations often receive very competitive compensation for their efforts. However, their employment comes with serious risks as well. The Defense Base Act (DBA) is a crucial federal law that protects civilian workers who get hurt while providing support to military bases abroad. The DBA ..read more

Getting hurt at work is always an inconvenience. It will typically result in at least a few hours of missed work and a requirement to fill out injury report paperwork. Sometimes, workers will need to seek outside medical care and may require an extended leave of absence because of their injury. The average worker who gets hurt on the job will be able to file a basic workers’ compensation claim. Workers’ compensation benefits, which operate on a state-by-state basis, can provide health coverage and also indemnity benefits when someone misses work because of an injury or work-acquired illness. I ..read more

There are many industries and employees that can be subject to the Defense Base Act. Knowing if your company is in one of them or if you, as an employee, are entitled to coverage, is important to protecting your rights. The Defense Base Act protects people contracted to work with the federal government. Some of the people and businesses protected under the Defense Base Act may include: Educational facilities Consultants Engineers Project managers Facilities support management services IT providers Logistical support services Essentially, if you work in the appropriate employment category, you ..read more

You know that it’s dangerous to work on a cargo ship, as you could be injured in many different ways. Heavy machinery can be used to load and unload the ship, and you could be injured in the process. You may need to spend days, weeks or even months at sea, and you could suffer serious injuries in a storm. These are just a few of the risks that you face. All of these risks are exaggerated because an injury could happen very far from shore. If you’re in the middle of the ocean when you get hurt, it’s not as if you can simply go to the hospital for medical care. A worker in a warehouse on the sho ..read more

The United States has had a global influence since the end of the second world war, and there are many military installations and bases spanning the globe. While a lot of the money and personnel that the United States uses for military defense does stay within the country, there are also a lot of soldiers who are stationed overseas. This doesn’t mean that they are in a combat zone. They may simply be stationed at an Air Force base in Europe. Going to work every day just means performing duties on the base, not necessarily being involved in any sort of combat or the other cliche operations that ..read more