As the pandemic hopefully winds down, NHADA WCT Members will be hiring new employees. The first thing to consider when hiring is, are you hiring the right person for the job.
National studies have found that 30 - 40 percent of workers sustaining 'on-the-job' injuries have been on the job less than a year. For that reason, it is critical that you take the time to hire the right person for the job.
The NHADA Workers Compensation Trust has laid out all of the hiring steps to simplify this tedious process. The NHADA Strategic Hiring Guidelines were created, with the assistance of Employment Law professionals, to help with this challenging process. The Strategic Hiring Guidelines are available on the NHADA website.
Some of the key points in the hiring process to keep in mind include:
- Reviewing applications
- Conducting a thorough interview
- Checking references
- Making a Conditional Offer
- Performing background checks
- Performing the pre-placement drug test and;
- Completing the Second Injury Fund Form
Please refer to the Hiring Flowchart for a more in depth understanding of the hiring process.
The studies have identified several reasons beyond hiring the wrong person for the job that cause new employees to sustain injuries.
- Employers assume that new employees know more than they do
- New Employees are afraid to ask questions
- The environment is new and the employee is not familiar with the hazards
- Task specific training focuses on what to do rather than what to avoid
- Employee’s lack of knowledge about hazardous substances
- New employees do not understand the purpose/importance of personal protective equipment and how to properly use it
- Employers fail to convey the safety message
Providing new hires with employment specific training helps set the tone of a safe culture in the workplace. Taking steps to help employees understand the risks they face and providing them with the tools and training they need to avoid injuries is a critical step in managing risk created by new employees.
Reporting Workplace Injuries
The other important practice in the onboarding process is to make sure that the new hires understand to whom to report an injury and the importance of promptly reporting all injuries regardless of how minor they seem to be.
We have seen an uptick in delayed reporting of injuries particularly in the under 30 demographics. Delayed reporting makes the investigation process more challenging as memories fade and video surveillance may be erased. Additionally, the claims department has lost control of the medical treatment. The new hire may not be aware that they are participants in a worker’s compensation managed care program which requires that injured employees get treated within a network of medical providers. If the new hire isn't aware of the process, they may seek treatment with their primary care physician or the emergency room, both of which will drive claims costs up.
Please take the time to explain to your new hires how to report injuries and ensure that they understand that they are in a managed care program for workers comp claims and make sure that they understand what that means in terms of medical treatment for a work-related injury. When in doubt call Nurse Case Manager, Marta Silakka at 603-223-2369.
If you have questions about the workers compensation process, please contact our Member Services Coordinator Deborah Handrahan.
