3 Reasons the Cost is Much Higher than $6,000

When I was injured I had no high school diploma. I was married and raising three young children. I had been a legal secretary for over a decade and it had never occurred to me that I wouldn’t be able to keep on working at that job. When I learned that my injury would not allow me to continue that work, my future looked pretty dismal. I could not find any other position that would pay me what I needed unless I gained some new skills.

1. No Education, No Future
If an injured worker does not receive the $6,000 training voucher to learn a new way of making a living, they are being deprived of a future where they can thrive. When they can no longer perform their previous job, it is critical that they are offered a way to learn new and profitable skills. If they cannot get an education to learn something new, how can they make a change? How will they survive? It is incredibly difficult to remain hopeful when you can’t see a way out. An education is the key to creating a positive change.

2. The Economy
The second cost of an injured worker not using their retraining voucher is that they remain low-income earners and cannot put much money back into the economy. When people earn less, they spend less. When people are not educated they tend to get jobs that don’t require much skill, if they are able to get hired at all. Jobs that don’t require much skill are almost always low-paying. Even if they want to go back to the job where they were injured, they are not allowed to return. This is how many people end up on unemployment, social security, or welfare. They may even become incarcerated if things really go off track. There is a stain on society when an injured worker does not take advantage of the $6,000 benefit.

3. Break the Cycle of Poverty
People become a role models when they go to school. Their children see them learning and that makes them more likely to pursue education themselves. Also, once educated, the potential for earning more money allows for saving for the future education of their children. Future generations are impacted when an injured worker retrains for a new career.

After I went to school to become an educational psychologist, my starting income increased by $30,000 per year. It made a huge difference in my life and in my family. I became that role model for my children, all of whom have now attended college. This would not have happened if they hadn’t witnessed my success.

What I want to make clear is the ripple effect of whether the voucher is used or not. The legacy of education or the lack thereof is life-altering. Actions and choices are key in creating a heritage of thriving. Let’s plant the seed now so injured workers and their families can be educated and empowered.