Struggling with WC costs? -- Focus on what you CAN control!

It's easy to focus on what you can't control.  Sometimes we do this to avoid accepting responsibility for our own situations or simply because we've never stepped back and taken an objective look at the situation.

As an employer there are many things that we can't control -- the weather, the laws the govern how you must conduct business, as well as the restrictions that a physician places on an injured worker as a result of a work related injury. 

So, let's take a look at what we can do to influence the outcome of a workers' compensation claim.

Offer modified duty
As written in our last post -- there's no condition so disabling that there's not someone in the US with that condition working full time today.  If you say that you don't have modified duty, you're likely not going to look for it.  Keep an open mind and use the resources available to help you identify modified duty options.

Modified duty wages
The rate at which you pay an injured worker for modified duty impacts the amount of any temporary partial disability benefits (TPD) the injured worker may be entitled to.  Obviously, the more they are paid for modified duty, the less they receive under their workers' compensation claim.  In most states, the TPD rates are 66 2/3 of the difference between the injured worker's pre-injury wages and their modified duty wages.

Safety and Injury Prevention
While injuries may occur that are out of your control, there is much that you can do to prevent injuries from occurring, and to reduce the severity of the injuries if they do occur.  Providing a safe work environment is one element of injury prevention, enforcing safety rules, providing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), and appropriate training for new hires are just a few suggestions.  Injuries can still occur if we're being safe drivers, but if the employee is wearing their seatbelt at the time of injury, this safety measure can greatly reduce the severity of the injury.  Also, having employees properly trained to administer first aid can help minor injuries from developing into something worse.

Organizational Culture that Supports Safety and RTW
While this may be the most challenging aspect of safety and RTW, creating buy-in at all levels of the organization is paramount in influencing your workers' compensation program before an injury even happens.  If employees know that they will be offered modified duty, they may be less likely to file a false injury claim.  It also communicates that employers care about the wellbeing of their most valuable assets -- their employees.

Appropriate Medical Treatment
Providing prompt and appropriate medical treatment can have a significant impact on the injured worker's recovery.  If your state allows direction of medical care, having a physician panel that complies with state regulations is an important step towards helping the injured worker recover and RTW.

Maintain Contact with the Injured Worker
Too often an employer files a claim and assumes that they should let the insurance carrier maintain all contact with the injured worker -- this is incorrect (unless of course the employee retains an attorney who prohibits contact with the injured worker).  One of the best ways to keep an injured worker focused on returning to wellness is to stay in contact with them.  Send a get well card, give them a call once a week or every other week to check in, invite them in for employee meetings, and keep them in the loop so that they feel connected with the workplace.

This turned into a lengthy post, but the length (and content) hopefully communicate just how much an employer can influence the outcome of their WC claims.