To all of you older people who are still in the workplace; you will find that the Workers’ Compensation laws are discriminating against the older worker if you ever get injured on the job and are unable to work for awhile.

They have what they call an offset for Social Security. If you are fortunate enough to be willing and able to work a full-time job, you will be penalized on your weekly benefits if you are at an age for Social Security; even if you are 70 or over, which is the age at which you are supposedly entitled to your Social Security benefits (which you have worked for all your life) and still earn an unlimited amount of wages.

Although your employer will pay your Workers’ Compensation premiums (I’m sure at no reduction in cost), just as all the other workers you will not get your full weekly benefits if and when you get hurt. I know because it happened to my husband a short time ago.

I’m not talking about a retiree who retires and then decides to go back to work. My husband has worked a full-time job ever since he was old enough to work.

The Workers’ Compensation laws seem to cater to the people who claim to get hurt on the job and fraudulently collect compensation for eight or nine, maybe more, years then after they get a good-sized settlement, they are fine. Someone who is legitimately claiming benefits for a short period of time gets penalized because of his or her Social Security. It’s unfair.

So come on, you older workers, contact your legislators and see what can be done about this unfair law before it happens to you. … Frances Huntley Belfast