Using Light Duty Jobs to Lower Your Workers Comp Costs

Okay, you’re a business. You have employees that get injured, creating workers comp claims, and then driving up your premiums. More money spent. Unfortunately, some of these workers comp claims are unavoidable as there is no way to escape employee injuries all together. However, there IS a way to REDUCE this increase in your premium payments. How?

Implement Light Duty Work!

Workers comp is divided into two basic payments:

1. Wage replacement – compensating injured workers for the payroll they are not receiving

2. Medical Benefits – paying for the medical costs of a worker that is injured on the job

We need to reduce your employees’ claim amounts in order to reduce the rise in cost of your premiums in the future. The longer an employee is away from his job the larger the claim cost will be because he/she will have more salary and medical benefits that need to be paid for. So how can we effectively get injured workers back to work and reduce their claim amounts without putting their safety at risk?

Implement Light Duty Work!

By getting the injured worker back to work, you will be providing them with a salary so that they will not create as high of a claim for wage replacement. Studies show that paying an injured worker through payroll costs you less than if you were to let your workers comp insurance cover those costs. Secondly, research indicates that getting an injured worker back to work speeds up their recovery process, reducing their workers comp claim for additional medical benefits. Lastly, offering light duty jobs to injured workers improves workers’ moral because there is less of an incentive to claim an injury just to avoid work. All of the effects of offering light duty work to injured employees can reduce the impact of a particular claim on future insurance premiums by as much as 70%.

Many firms shy away from assigning light duty tasks because they think the work is unimportant or because no light duty jobs are available. Both arguments are flawed.  EVERY company has important light duty tasks that can reduce the cost of future workers compensation premiums. Scroll down for a list of just a few examples of light duty tasks your business can assign to injured employees.

With the vast amount of light duty jobs available and the multiple benefits that they provide, it is essential that you consider them when trying to eliminate unnecessary costs to your business. If you want to know exactly how your particular business can reduce their workers compensation costs by offering light duty work, call a risk advisor at 914-357-8444 or fill out the form on our homepage with #lightduty in the comments section.

1. Security guard
2. Paint aisle markings
3. Inventory parts, supplies, and/or tools
4. Pick up trash in yard and lot
5. Inspect fire extinguishers & eye washes
6. Replenish first aid cabinets
7. Perform assembly
8. Complete a safety inspection
9. Drive a fork truck
10. Sort & deliver mail
11. Work in tool room
12. Make telephone calls / answer telephones
13. Order supplies
14. Shipping (labeling & wrapping)
15. Train new employees
16. Drive a vehicle, run errands
17. Do light housekeeping and dusting
18. Perform quality control inspections
19. File paperwork
20. Shred documents
21. Complete safety training
22. Update MSDS manuals
23. Sweeping
24. Wash company vehicles
25. Mow lawns with riding lawn mower
26. Update safety bulletin board
27. Clean tools
28. Apply ice melter during winter months
29. Inspect flooring for need for maintenance or cleaning
30. Create or re-write evacuation maps
31. Work normal job but slower
32. Work normal job but with specific limitations.

To learn more about lowering your workers comp costs click here.