CompWest

I got COVID on January 5, 2022. I am a caregiver.

I take care of the dying, the disabled and the elderly. And because I handle urine, *** tears, sweat, saliva and sometimes blood on a daily basis on my job, the law says I automatically get workers compensation if I test positive for COVID. So, when I got COVID I filed a workers compensation claim with my employer. Unfortunately, my employer has CompWest as their workers compensation company.

Compwest denied my claim, even though by law they have to accept it. And not only did they deny my claim when I had COVID, I also had work exhaustion because I had been working 80 per week when I got sick and I had been working an overnight shift where I was not provided any heat, so I had room temperatures in the 40's. CalOSHA says employers have to maintain a room temperature between 68-74 degree, while I was shivering with cold my entire shift working in temperatures probably in the 40's. And the client and his family - there were a lot of people living in the house I was working in - all were sick with flu like symptoms.

They should have covered me just based on the work exhaustion working 80 hrs per week and the extremely cold temperatures I had to work in and the fact that I was working in a household of more than 6 people who all were sick with flu like symptoms. But no, Compwest denied my claim even though all those factors existed when I got sick with COVID. By law Compwest is supposed to give me 75% of my lost wages, which they are refusing to do. After I received the denial letter from Compwest, I have been in a deep depression.

I have dedicated my whole life to taking care of the dying, the sick, and the disabled.

And all these years taking care of others, I only asked one time to be taken care of when I needed it. And even though Compwest is legally and contractually obligated to take care of me, they are refusing to do so.