Month: April 2023

Benefits of a strong return-to-work program

Posted on by Sara Goese

Bringing injured employees back to work as soon as their doctor allows it is not only the right thing to do, it’s also the smart thing to do.

A strong return-to-work program benefits your employees and your organization. Employees typically benefit from faster recovery, feeling productive, maintaining their routine, and keeping their relationships with coworkers. Employers benefit from reducing the risk of litigation and controlling future workers’ compensation premium increases.

Even when injured employees can’t return to their regular jobs right away, you can bring them back to work as soon as possible by providing modified-duty tasks or reduced hours.

Waiting periods: Your window of opportunity

Workers’ compensation claims that do not result in wage-replacement benefits (called medical-only claims) have less impact on your future premium than lost-time claims.

Whenever possible, you can help claims remain medical-only by bringing employees back to work within your state’s waiting period.

The waiting periods are:

  • Three days in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin
  • Seven days in Nebraska, Kansas and South Dakota

To accomplish this, you may have to move quickly. It pays to be prepared.

How to establish a return-to-work program

If you don’t have a return-to-work program already, follow these four steps to start one:

1. Draft your policy.
Formally state that your company intends to bring injured employees back to work as soon as they’re medically able and will provide adaptations or light-duty work when needed. For guidance, see our sample return-to-work program.

2. Appoint a claims coordinator.
This is an individual tasked with overseeing workers’ compensation claims and return to work. Have this person develop a plan for reporting injuries and communicate it to supervisors and employees. For more details, see our CompTalk on claims coordinator duties.

3. Select a primary care clinic.
Establish a good working relationship with a local clinic where the physicians understand occupational medicine and return-to-work. If possible, meet with doctors at your preferred clinic to give them an overview of your organization and tell them you are committed to returning employees to work as soon as they are medically able. Suggest that your employees go there if they’re injured. Note that in most states, employees have the right to choose where to have their injuries treated.

4. Identify transitional jobs.
Light-duty or modified-duty jobs provide opportunities for your employees to return to work even when medical restrictions prevent them from doing their regular jobs. Put together a list of light duty jobs in advance so that you’re ready when an injury occurs. To come up with ideas, ask your managers, “What would you do if you had an extra pair of hands?” You can also find lists of light-duty job ideas broken down by industry.

How to learn more

Check out our sample return-to-work program, more details on establishing a relationship with a medical provider, and more information on how return-to-work impacts future workers’ compensation premiums.

Ergonomic and safety tips for remote and hybrid employees

Posted on by Alyssa Rass

With the shift to remote and hybrid work in recent years, many employers are quickly learning how to support employees in their new work environments. As with in-office workers, remote and hybrid employees are subject to cumulative injuries, which are typically a result of poor ergonomics at their workspace.

Common slips, trips and falls are also frequent claims we see from remote and hybrid workers. These types of injuries can be avoided with proper training and preventive measures.

Injury prevention

As an employer, you have the ability to help prevent injuries among your employees, regardless of where they’re working.

“Preventing an injury before it happens really starts with the employer,” said Mike Fetting, SFM Loss Prevention Specialist. “Educating employees on ergonomic best practices, and home office maintenance and safety when they’re working remotely can help reduce the likelihood of injury.”

He recommends encouraging employees to set up their home or remote office spaces with these tips in mind:

Keep your office tidy and free of hazards

  • Organize cords so they’re tied up and tucked away
  • Eliminate clutter, especially in walking paths
  • Clean up spills immediately to avoid slips and falls

Optimize your desk setup for proper ergonomics

  • Sitting desks. Maintain neutral posture at the desk by adjusting your seat so you can keep your feet resting comfortably on the floor or on a footrest. Hips should sit at a 90-to-110-degree angle and your upper arms should rest comfortably at your side, with elbows at a 90-to-100-degree angle. The backrest of your chair should meet your back as you sit up straight and should support the natural curve of your back.
  • Standing desks. Situate the desk height and your body so your upper arms can rest comfortably at your side, with elbows at a 90-to-100-degree angle, and your feet align below your head and hips. Wrists should be held straight, not pressed into the edge of the desk. Wear shoes with insoles or stand on an anti-fatigue mat with beveled edges that sits flat on the floor.

Utilize ergonomic tools and proper placement of office technology

  • Adjustable monitor stands. Center the monitor in front of your keyboard and keep the top of the screen at eye level, or slightly below eye level for those who use bifocals. Use adjustable monitor stands to achieve the correct height for your body. Your monitor should be about an arm’s length away, but move it closer or increase the font if you find yourself leaning forward.
  • Headsets. Go handsfree and eliminate neck issues from cradling a traditional office phone by using an over-the-ear or in-ear headset. Corded or cordless headsets are both better options than a traditional office phone when taking phone calls throughout the day.
  • Adjustable chairs. Make sure the height, seat, arms and back are adjustable so you can set your chair to maintain a neutral position, as described above.
  • Mouse and keyboard cushions. Your wrists should be raised and level when using your mouse and keyboard, and your keyboard should be set flat. Do not rest your wrists on anything while keying. Your hands should project straight out from your forearms, and not bend back at the wrists.
  • Footrests. You may need a footrest to help achieve neutral posture when working at a higher desk. Once you set your chair to the correct height to allow for neutral arm placement, set the footrest below your desk to keep your legs from dangling and take the weight off your thighs.

Individual needs vary

“This guide includes standard practices that most people will find appropriate, but you should find what works for you using these tips as a starting point,” said Fetting. “If you find you prefer to have your knees slightly above your hips, that’s OK. Everyone is different.”

He also suggests that employees change positions at their desks occasionally to reduce the chance of a cumulative injury, which can happen because of repetitive movement or positioning.

“There’s no perfect position that you should remain in 100% of the time,” said Fetting. “Occasionally adjust things, such as raising or lowering your chair or monitors by an inch, to find alternatives that work for you.”

We have more resources to help you educate employees on their role in safety and injury prevention in office settings on our website.

Tips for hiring temporary workers or subcontractors

Posted on by Patty Busse

Do temporary employees need safety training? Are subcontractors covered for workers’ compensation?

If your workforce includes temporary employees or independent subcontractors, you may have questions like these.

Even these workers need safety training and workers’ compensation coverage. Here are a few things you should know about hiring subcontractors and temporary employees, and their workers’ compensation coverage and safety.

Hiring temporary workers

When you hire a temporary employee, you need to be sure that the outside temp agency will be liable for payment of workers’ compensation benefits in the event of a work injury.

Beware of scanty contracts, either deliberately or unwittingly silent on important legal considerations including workers’ compensation coverage. Consider having contracts from temp agencies reviewed by an employment attorney before you sign them.

Keeping temporary workers safe

Give temporary employees the same safety training you give regular employees. Don’t skimp on safety training just because someone will only be working with you for a short time.

“The most common causes of injuries we see among temporary employees include workers not being properly trained for the jobs they’re performing, or the physical abilities of the individual do not match the task,” said Lee Wendel, SFM Director of Loss Prevention.

Here are a few suggested questions employers should ask their temp agencies to keep workers safe:

  • Will the agency provide personal protective equipment for the temporary employees?
  • What safety training will be provided by the agency?
  • Does the temporary employee require any additional help to perform the job?
  • Is worker safety a company priority?
  • Will you visit the worksite and conduct a safety assessment?

For more resources on temporary worker safety, visit OSHA’s Protecting Temporary Workers page .

Hiring subcontractors: Are they covered for workers’ compensation?

Hiring subcontractors that are uninsured can pose a significant liability to your organization.

Anyone working independently for your organization needs to be covered for work injuries. An independent contractor working alone may or may not carry workers’ compensation insurance.

If contractors say they have coverage, you’ll need to get certificates of insurance at the time they are engaged. Your SFM premium auditor will look for these certificates at the time of your premium audit. If a subcontractor does not provide a certificate of insurance for work comp, we will typically include their
payroll in the calculation of your premium.

Some entity types with no employees may not be required to carry workers’ compensation insurance. If this is the case then you’ll need to get insurance certificates for general liability with adequate minimum limits of coverage.

Are subcontractors truly ‘independent’?

You’ll need to verify that the individual meets the state’s legal criteria to be considered an independent contractor. The specific requirements vary by state, and an employment attorney is your best resource to make sure your contractors meet them.

In addition to verifying coverage and determining “independent” status, SFM attorneys recommend having a subcontractor agreement drawn up by an employment attorney for all subcontractors to sign before they go to work for you.

For more information on Minnesota’s guidelines, see SFM’s General contractor’s liability Legal Advisory and Hiring subcontractors CompTalk.

This is not intended to serve as legal advice for individual fact-specific legal cases or as a legal basis for your employment practices.

Want more content like this?

Get the latest Simply Work Comp blog posts in your inbox.

Get our quarterly email newsletter

AM Best reaffirms SFM’s Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent)

Posted on by Sara Goese

SFM Mutual Insurance Co. announced that its Financial Strength Rating of “A- (Excellent)” and Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “a-” have been reaffirmed by AM Best Rating Services, Inc.

This announcement comes as a result of AM Best’s thorough analysis of SFM’s balance sheet strength, in addition to its operating performance, business profile, innovation and enterprise risk management. Prior to publicly disclosing this affirmation, AM Best conducted a detailed review of SFM’s finances and operations.

“In our annual review with AM Best, we were pleased to demonstrate how our commitment to service delivers excellent results,” said SFM President and CEO Terry Miller. “We consider their assessment to be an important indicator of SFM’s long-term financial strength and stability.”

About AM Best
AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in New York, London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit ambest.com .

 

View more news about SFM

css.php