In order to protect your company, you need to have a firm grasp on all the laws that govern you. This means that you need to be aware of how workers’ comp affects your business and your employees. Here are some ways that you can inform your employees about workers’ comp claims.
Create a Safety Program
You want to protect the best interests of your company. Having a strong safety training program can prevent workplace injuries. It serves a double purpose of reducing your liability and training your employees on how to protect themselves. Make sure to reevaluate your safety training program on an annual basis. Equipment or techniques may have changed during that timeframe. Be open with your employees about why it’s important to follow all of the safety rules.
Develop an Injury Reporting Checklist
In the event that you do have a workplace injury, make sure to have a checklist for how to deal with the claim process. If your company has a drug and alcohol policy, decide if you want to have the employee tested following an injury. This is for the protection of all of your other employees as well. You don’t want one employee’s negligence to lead other employees to become injured. Educate your workforce so that they understand the ramifications of your policies.
Discuss it in Monthly Meetings
Your company likely conducts monthly staff meetings. Invite in guest speakers to help explain some of your policy decisions. One month have a workers’ comp attorney come in to speak to your staff. Then, they don’t just have to take your word on what the law says. They can ask the attorney to clarify any questions that they may have regarding workers’ comp. Your employees may feel as though you really care about their safety and well-being.
Post the Latest Information
It’s always a good idea to post the latest employment laws in your workplace. This can save you some time having to explain everything to all of your employees. A bulletin board can help them to understand their rights. Post contact information for the appropriate people to contact in the event of a workplace accident. Another thing to post is your safety record. You want to show the employees how serious you take safety concerns.
It’s important to educate your staff about workers’ comp. You may find that they’re more receptive to following the rules if they think that you care about them.
Guest post courtesy of Rachelle Wilber, a freelance writer from San Diego