A worker's paycheck shows a deduction for "workers' compensation." What is this for?

The payroll deduction is the Department of Consumer and Business Services' cents-per-hour assessment. Both workers and employers are assessed equal amounts for each hour the employee works. The money is collected by the Department of Revenue and is passed on to the Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS) -- the state agency that oversees the Oregon workers' compensation system. The assessment goes to special funds the DCBS administers and is used to provide incentives to rehire injured workers and to ensure that benefits paid to injured workers and workers' beneficiaries keep pace with the cost of living.  more