Work injuries are unfortunate, but following best practices can make bad situations better for you and injured employees.
Here are ways to be ready if your employees get hurt at work:
Identify who will handle work injuries Choose someone who will make sure injuries are reported to SFM and stay in contact with injured employees, SFM claims staff and employees’ physicians.
Hang visible reminders of how to report around your workplace Find posters, stickers and more in the resource catalog:
Establish an injury reporting procedure and train supervisors Have guides to the injury reporting process around the workplace for supervisors’ reference. If your organization operates outside of normal business hours, mention any procedure differences during nights and weekends. You can use our claim guide or create your own.
Establish a return-to-work program Make sure your employee handbook includes a policy that communicates your commitment to bringing injured workers back as soon as they’re medically able. Learn more on the Return to work page or create your own.
Assemble packets for injured employees to bring to the doctor In each packet, include:
We offer a claim packet that contains all of these items in one place, along with additional information on reporting claims and return to work.
Create a list of potential light-duty jobs Ask your managers, “What would you do if you had extra help?” and use their feedback to create the list. Find a list of common transitional, light-duty jobs broken down by industry in the resource catalog.
Notify us of your preferred clinic Give your SFM claims representative the name of your preferred clinic, or call us at 800-937-1181. That way, if someone from your organization reports by phone, we can mention the name of the clinic when they call. Learn why employers should get to know medical providers.
When you or a supervisor become aware of a work injury, you become responsible for reporting it to SFM as soon as you can. In most states, “employer notice” of an injury can include:
Being told verbally or in writing
Seeing an accident occur
Suspecting that an injury occurred
Once you learn of an injury, the clock starts ticking toward state deadlines to either pay or deny workers’ comp benefits. You can help your employee get the right care and avoid fines by reporting all injuries as soon as you learn of them, even if they seem minor.
Report a work injury to SFM as soon as possible after learning about it – ideally, within 24 hours. You may not have all the details at the time of the report, but tell us as much information as you can. Any missing information can be addressed later with your SFM claims representative.
The most common and preferred methods for reporting injuries to SFM are online or by phone. If these methods don’t work for you, you also have the option to download your state’s paper fax First Report of Injury form and fax it to SFM.
For more information, download a copy of our claim packet.
After your employee’s immediate medical needs are taken care of, follow these four steps:
Investigate the incident Try to figure out the cause so you can prevent similar injuries in the future. It helps to talk with witnesses and look at the scene of the accident. It can also be helpful to take photos and save any equipment involved.
Stay in contact with the injured employee Injured workers often feel isolated and worry they’ll lose their job. Ease their fears by letting them know you care about their wellbeing and look forward to their return to work.
Tip: To help injured workers better understand what to expect for their recovery and return to work, have them visit the injured workers section of our website and check out the available video.
Arrange for return to work As soon as a doctor clears the employee to return to work, find a way to bring them back, even if they can’t yet return to their pre-injury job due to medical restrictions. Options include finding a temporary light-duty position reducing hours or adjusting the employee’s regular job to accommodate restrictions.
Notify your claims representative if the employee will be off work Telling your claims representative as soon as possible gives them time to determine whether the injury is covered by workers’ compensation, and pay wage-loss benefits before your state’s deadline.
Send along a temporary prescription information form so the employee can get medications needed to treat the injury with no out-of-pocket expense at participating pharmacies. Contact your claims representative if you need a copy.
Ensure the physician knows you offer light-duty, transitional work and ask the employee to return the Work ability / Return-to-work form to you after the doctor visit.
Tip: If you are outside of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, South Dakota, Indiana, Tennessee and Missouri, you will need the CBCS temporary prescription form instead, which is available through your claims representative.
Getting an employee back to work after an injury is beneficial to both the injured worker and the employer.
For the employee, getting back to work — even on a limited basis — helps them recover quicker, feel productive and keep up the routine of working. For employers, getting an injured employee back on the job can help control claims costs and reduce the likelihood of litigation.
State laws grant employers access to injured employees’ medical records to see work restrictions ordered by physicians.
Keep these rules in mind when handling confidential medical records:
By law you can’t combine medical records with the employee’s personnel file. Keep a separate medical file.
Never give medical information to a third party without the employee’s written consent.
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) generally allows employers to discuss an injured employee’s progress and medical status related to a work injury with the employee’s treating physician. Medical providers may be unclear about the HIPAA law as it applies to workers’ comp and may be reluctant to give you information. If this happens, call your claims representative at 800-937-1181.
Fraud is rare, but sometimes employees do intentionally misrepresent the facts surrounding their work injuries.
Even if you suspect fraud, report the injury to SFM right away just as you would with any other work injury, and let your claims representative know your concerns or report potential fraud on our website.
SFM’s Special Investigations Unit and in-house attorneys are prepared to investigate, evaluate and pursue fraudulent claims.
