Do Truck Drivers Get Hazard Pay?

If you work as a truck driver and believe that you’ll be required to perform hazardous duties in the future, you should know about hazard pay and whether or not you’re eligible to receive this type of compensation.

What is Hazard Pay?

Hazard pay is a type of extra compensation that’s sometimes provided to certain employees who perform a hazardous duty during the course of work. If your work as a truck driver ever causes you to go through a severe amount of physical or emotional discomfort that can’t be reduced or eliminated with some form of protective device, it’s possible that you will be eligible to receive hazard pay. Truck drivers oftentimes experience dangerous conditions, some of which might cause you to receive this type of pay, though there are some limitations to this pay.

When Hazard Compensation Might Be Paid

Hazard pay is a payment that’s designed to compensate an employee for doing something during their normal course of work that might result in a severe injury or even death. This is known as extra compensation because it’s typically provided by an employer on top of the base wages or salary that the employee receives. However, it’s important to understand that it’s not required of an employer to provide you with hazard pay, even if the situation would typically call for such a payment to be made. The employer has the ability to decide when this compensation is provided and how much is given.

In most cases, the hazard pay covers only the hours that you were working within hazardous conditions and not your entire work day. For truck drivers, the situations that might warrant hazard pay can differ wildly, especially since there is no legal definition. However, hazard pay might be allotted to truck drivers who operate a vehicle in a war zone, hostile location, or during extreme weather, such as a hurricane. Before you decide to perform the duty at hand, you should be given information by your employer on the type of work you’ll be doing, the rate of hazard pay that you’ll receive, and any possible risks associated with the task.

Now that you’re aware of what hazard pay is and whether or not you should receive this type of compensation in your situation, you can be confident that you’re being paid fairly. It’s also recommended to contact an attorney if in an accident with a truck so that you can get the compensation you deserve.