1. Report injuries on time
- Report injuries to the compensation board within the time limits in your jurisdiction. Late reporting can lead to administrative penalties or prosecution.
- Make sure supervisors pass information to whoever reports claims. You must report an injury when you become aware of it, and if a worker tells their supervisor, the company is deemed to be aware from that date.
- Give as much information as you can in the first report. Note any concerns about the validity of the claim, any prior related injuries or pre-existing conditions, and any third party who may be responsible for the injury, to give yourself the best chance of minimizing costs.
2. Stay in touch with the injured worker
Contact the injured worker immediately after the injury and keep in touch, whether they are at work or away. Many workers become frustrated when they hear nothing from their employer while they can't work because of an injury.
3. Offer suitable work as quickly and safely as possible
- Work with the injured worker to identify suitable duties. Can they return to their pre-injury job without accommodation? If not, what accommodation do they need? If they can't do their pre-injury job, what other duties could they do?
- Involve the injured worker in this process, and make sure their treating health care practitioner knows you can accommodate their functional abilities while supporting their recovery.
4. Monitor the worker's recovery
- Follow up with the injured worker about their treatment. How often do they attend? When is their next appointment? Have they been referred for further testing or to a specialist? Will they need surgery, and is it scheduled?
- Many employers think they can't ask these questions. You are not entitled to know the worker's diagnosis, but you are entitled to know their prognosis and their functional abilities and limitations, so you can help them return to work as quickly and safely as possible. Knowing treatment dates also helps you plan around time away for treatment.
- Injuries should heal over time, so keep working toward the worker's return to regular duties. Get updated medical information to adjust return-to-work plans as they recover.
5. Appeal adverse decisions
- Use your right to appeal adverse decisions by the compensation board, whether on initial entitlement or ongoing health care or wage loss benefits. You may have information the board didn't have, or the legislation or a policy may have been misinterpreted. Adverse decisions can significantly affect your experience rating, premiums and even your ability to win work through tenders.
- Meet appeal time limits and make sound arguments, with evidence showing why the decision should be in your favour.