Handle Worker’s Compensation Reporting with Ease
Worker’s compensation
is a necessary evil for business owners, as well as a huge benefit to your workers in case trouble comes their way. Unfortunately, it’s not enough to just invest in coverage. You need to stay current with reporting requirements, or hire those responsibilities out to a reliable team. Make sure whoever is handling your reporting understands the following:
1. Injuries Don’t Have to be Accident-Related
Worker’s compensation covers health conditions arising from employment, not just injuries resulting from work accidents. “Injuries” can mean a broken arm from a fall or bone spurs created over a long period of time from walking across hard floors. The consequences for refusing to report something can be steep, so it’s important the person in charge of reports understands what’s covered and what’s not.
2. As the Employer, You Determine Who Provides Medical Care
The injured party often feels responsible for finding a doctor or other qualified health professional. This can lead to disputes when your insurance company balks at the cost or their choice in treatments. This type of mistake is common, and is a common reason behind worker’s comp disputes. It’s essential to inform employees as soon as they file about this stipulation to prevent them from seeking expensive medical care you’ll have to reimburse out of pocket later.
3. Lapsed Time Limits Create Legal Liabilities
If reports aren’t filed in a timely manner, your company can face legal problems above and beyond simple fines. In fact, in the wrong situation, you can be charged with a class “D” felony for failing to properly insure your workers. Prevent that from happening by knowing what “timely” means. Work with a company that has no doubt about how to process claims correctly.
Workman’s compensation reporting can get tricky. Make sure you’re protecting your employees and yourself. Learn the rules inside and out, or outsource to a reliable, responsible team of HR professionals.
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