What happens to temporary disability pay if an injured employee with dependents is incarcerated?

• A. No temporary is payable
• B. Paid to the employee
• C. Paid to the employee's dependents
• D. Paid to the State Treasury

Answer: (C)

The situation of temporary disability pay for an injured employee who becomes incarcerated involves specific regulations that focus on the rights of dependents. When an employee is incarcerated, typically, the temporary disability pay would not be available to the employee. Instead, the benefits often shift to being allocated to the employee’s dependents. This is because the intent of the temporary disability payment system is to provide support to those who are unable to work due to injury, and if the primary recipient (the injured employee) is unable to utilize the benefits due to incarceration, the dependents should still receive some financial assistance.

This framework recognizes that dependents may rely on the financial support that would have been provided to the incarcerated individual, ensuring that their needs continue to be addressed. In this context, allocating the payments to dependents serves as a protective measure for families affected by both the injury and subsequent incarceration of an income earner.