If you are injured at work or hit on the commute, apply for work-injury recognition first; if the employer will not file, file yourself

Injuries at work from the job count as work injuries. Being hit on the way to or from work, when you are not mainly at fault, also counts. Without work-injury recognition, medical costs, wages paid while you heal, and disability benefits all vanish. The employer should file within 30 days. If it does not, you, your family, or the trade union can file with the social insurance agency within one year.

Cost

No cost—one trip to the social insurance administrative agency. Bring three items: a work-injury recognition application form, proof of employment, and a medical diagnosis certificate.

Benefit

Without work-injury recognition, medical costs, wages paid during the work-stoppage period for treatment (停工留薪期工资), and disability benefits all vanish. If the employer misses the 30-day filing deadline, it must pay all work-injury benefits due in that period itself

Notes

Treat the 1-year limit seriously; do not delay. Time lost for reasons not your fault does not count toward that 1 year. There are five such reasons: force majeure, restricted personal liberty, employer-caused delay, imperfect registration systems at the social insurance agency. The fifth is labor arbitration or litigation to confirm the employment relationship. If the employer stalls until the deadline passes, apply anyway and bring evidence of the delay. If the agency refuses to accept the application or you disagree with the decision, you may apply for administrative reconsideration or sue directly. If the employer denies work injury, it must prove its case. Keep your own records too: photos from the day, coworkers' contact details, medical records, and attendance. Article 16 of the regulations lists three exclusions: intentional crime, intoxication or drug use, and self-harm or suicide. Article 15 also lists “deemed work injuries”: sudden illness at work and at the workstation with death, or death within 48 hours after failed emergency treatment.

Sources · 2

1. 国务院 (2010 修订). 工伤保险条例（国务院令第 586 号）第十四条列了七种「应当认定为工伤」，含「（六）在上下班途中，受到非本人主要责任的交通事故或者城市轨道交通、客运轮渡、火车事故伤害的」；第十七条「所在单位应当自事故伤害发生之日或者被诊断、鉴定为职业病之日起30日内，向统筹地区社会保险行政部门提出工伤认定申请」「用人单位未按前款规定提出工伤认定申请的，工伤职工或者其近亲属、工会组织在事故伤害发生之日或者被诊断、鉴定为职业病之日起1年内，可以直接向用人单位所在地统筹地区社会保险行政部门提出工伤认定申请」「用人单位未在本条第一款规定的时限内提交工伤认定申请，在此期间发生符合本条例规定的工伤待遇等有关费用由该用人单位负担」；第十九条「职工或者其近亲属认为是工伤，用人单位不认为是工伤的，由用人单位承担举证责任」；第二十条「自受理工伤认定申请之日起60日内作出工伤认定的决定」；第五十五条，对「工伤认定申请不予受理的决定不服的」「对工伤认定结论不服的」，「可以依法申请行政复议，也可以依法向人民法院提起行政诉讼」. gov.cn/gongbao/content/2011/content_1778064.htm
2. 最高人民法院 (2014). 关于审理工伤保险行政案件若干问题的规定（法释〔2014〕9 号）第七条：「由于不属于职工或者其近亲属自身原因超过工伤认定申请期限的，被耽误的时间不计算在工伤认定申请期限内」，所列情形为「（一）不可抗力；（二）人身自由受到限制；（三）属于用人单位原因；（四）社会保险行政部门登记制度不完善；（五）当事人对是否存在劳动关系申请仲裁、提起民事诉讼」. court.gov.cn/fabu/xiangqing/6775.html