06 Mar Managing Workers Compensation Leave
When one of your employees is out on workers comp, you may wonder if contacting him or her is appropriate. The short answer to that question is a resounding Absolutely! Letting your injured workers know you care about them when they are not at work is important. It will show concern for their well-being and let them know that you value not only the work they do for you but their physical health as well.
You may be concerned with how much contact is too much. There is a fine line between showing concern and being overbearing. Calling your employee every day may be a bit much. But giving him a call once a week or after you know he just visited the doctor would be perfect. There is no harm in knowing his progress so that you can figure out when he will probably be back at work.
You can also contact your employee’s workers comp case manager at your worker’s comp insurance carrier’s office. The case manager can fill you in on the employee’s progress and let you know if there are any issues that have arisen throughout the claim. If anything strikes you as suspicious or questionable, talk with the case manager to see what should be done. In some cases, you may want to have a private investigator do some investigating to make sure everything is on the up and up. Unfortunately, there are some unscrupulous people in the world who may take advantage of their situation and stay out of work longer than they should. It is ok for you to take action if that were to happen.
But keeping in contact with your employee during his absence from work due to a work-related injury will help get him back to work as soon as possible. Reassure him that you are doing everything in your power to prevent accidents similar to his so he will feel comfortable and safe upon his return.
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