So much for office work being safe. In today’s office, many workers can spend more than half of their work day sitting…and scientists are finding that sitting for prolonged periods of time increases health risks. It makes sense that working at a desk job increases the risk of being overweight, due to low activity levels...
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Ebola in the Workplace
As this issue went to press, only a few confirmed cases of Ebola existed in the U.S. What happens if it spreads? At this point, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control seems confident in the ability of the country’s health system to contain and prevent the spread of the disease here. Health insurers, which would...
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Good Housekeeping Reduces Workers Comp Costs
The U.S. Department of Labor reports that slips, trips and falls make up the majority of general industry accidents. They account for 25 percent of all reported workers compensation claims per year. More than 17 percent of all disabling occupational injuries result from falls. A good housekeeping program can help prevent many of these incidents....
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Marijuana and Workers Compensation
Now that marijuana use is legal in nine states, what does this mean for your workers’ compensation safety program? Twenty-two states and the District of Columbia now allow the medical use of marijuana. Colorado and Washington have also legalized its recreational use and possession. Will this send employers’ zero-tolerance policies up in smoke? Jeff Burgess,...
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The Benefits of Structured Settlements
Once a worker suffers an occupational injury while working for you, he or she becomes your responsibility for life. If the injury recurs or flares up, the employer remains responsible for providing the necessary medical treatment. This holds true even years after a relatively minor accident. Some workers’ compensation claims remain open for years, or...
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When Are Independent Contractors Considered Employees?
Hiring someone on an independent contractor basis has many advantages for employers. But treating workers like independent contractors when they should be classified as employees instead can cause costly problems. Independent contractors have many advantages for employers. Employers can hire them on a per-project basis and let them go when the project is completed. They...
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Workers’ Comp Fraud Investigations: Proceed With Caution
The National Insurance Crime Bureau reported that the number of “questionable” workers’ compensation claims increased, although the total number of claims decreased between January 1, 2011 and June 30, 2013. “Questionable claims” included claims involving claimant fraud, prior injuries unrelated to work and malingering. If you suspect a workers’ compensation claimant might be committing fraud...
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Can Telemedicine Lower Workers’ Compensation Costs?
Earlier this year, the Alaska state legislature passed House Bill 281, which allows a physician to prescribe drugs without a physical examination. In doing so, it opened the door to telemedicine, at least in remote areas. As the name implies, telemedicine encompasses any medical activity involving distance. Today telemedicine, or telehealth, uses electronic information and...
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Covering Forgotten Workers with Workers’ Comp
You might think your workers’ compensation covers all work-related injuries and illnesses. This could prove a costly mistake. In most cases, workers’ compensation will cover work-related injuries and illnesses. But in certain special circumstances—which might apply to your company—the basic workers’ compensation policy will not provide coverage. This could leave your company on the hook...
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Preventing Workers’ Comp Fraud
In early 2012, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) reported that all types of “questionable” insurance claims increased 19 percent between 2009 and 2011. Studies from 2000 estimated that one to two percent of workers’ compensation claims nationwide were fraudulent. If the NICB’s results apply to workers’ compensation claims, the percentage of fraudulent workers’ compensation...
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