Workers' Compensation May Be More Useful Than You Think If you're like most people, you probably imagine workers' compensation to be a useful but ultimately narrow program that helps folks who suffer serious, acute injuries on the job. While this is certainly the case, there's a lot more to workers' compensation. In many cases, this valuable safety net can also compensate you for long-term injuries and ongoing problems caused by repetitive stress, less-than-adequate ergonomic support and other issues. What Does Workers' Compensation Cover?