For many injured workers who are unable to return to their old jobs due a permanent injury, a formal program of retraining with a vocational rehabilitation counselor may not be an option, or may not be the best option. Hispanic employees who have difficulty reading and writing English, for example, will not be able to participate in retraining programs, because almost all programs are taught in English. Many injured workers will have to come up with a way to market other skills they have, or will have to start their own businesses.
Nevada law prohibits an industrial insurer from funding self-employment efforts directly. However, those injured workers who want to, or who must start a small business will at least receive a vocational rehabilitation lump sum buy-out that will help. The amount of a vocational rehabilitation lump sum buy-out will vary, depending upon the PPD rating of the injured worker, and whether the insurer can be convinced to pay more than the minimum amount the insurer must offer. See my article onlump sum buy-outs for more information.
Because a vocational rehab counselor is primarily involved in enrolling injured workers in formal retraining programs, the injured worker may not have much help in setting up his or her small business. I have provided some useful links below for the injured worker who is just starting a small business:
– Checklist for starting a small business by theIRS
– Business name registration for sole proprietor in Clark County
– State business license
– Visit the Nevada Department of Taxation for more information on necessary licenses
