Five Workers’ Comp Myths Your Employees May Believe

When an employee experiences a work injury, it can be followed by feelings of fear and uncertainty. The best way to avoid this is to educate your employees early—before an injury happens—so they know what to expect in the claims and medical process. And in the event that an injury does occur, the way to build trust is to keep your employee in the loop with open lines of communication.

By Contributing Staff

May 17, 2024

Medical professional treats injured employee.

Image Credits/Getty Images/Image Author

To help insured businesses and their injured workers, here are a handful of workers’ comp myths to debunk and put employees at ease.

MYTH #1: “This injury will get better on its own.”

It‘s important that your employees know to contact a supervisor as soon as an injury occurs, however minor it might appear—and we encourage you to report it to us, whether medical attention is necessary or not. An employer should take any level of employee injury seriously. Recognizing hazards in a work environment is essential to operating a safe and productive business—and the sooner you can identify and eliminate risk factors, the better.¹ This type of response shows your employees that you care, and encourages them to not downplay their own health and well-being.

MYTH #2: “I need to hire an attorney when I get hurt at work.”

Your employees have likely seen the commercials that tell them to hire an attorney if they’ve experienced a work injury. Many times, they hire out of fear and the need to feel represented, so assure your employees that you are there for them and let them know what to expect from the workers’ comp process. We also strongly encourage you to routinely stay in touch with them as they are recovering. The more you reach out and keep each other informed, the more the employee feels like he or she is still part of your team.

MYTH #3: “I’ll lose my job if I get hurt at work.”

A work injury can be a scary thing on its own, but what is even scarier is the misconception that one could lose his or her job as a result. Maintaining communication as your employee recovers is one way to let your employee know he or she is not forgotten, especially if they are in recovery for the long term. Another way is by implementing a return-to-work program, like Back2work®. In some cases, injured employees’ physicians can approve them for light duty before they make a full recovery. Having a program in place will allow them to return to work in a limited capacity, boosting their morale and decreasing your claims costs.²

MYTH #4: “I’ll have to pay for my medical costs.”

Workers’ comp is here to protect you and your most valuable assets—your employees. Before an accident occurs, explaining how workers’ comp works is a great way to set expectations and build trust beforehand. In the event of a workplace injury, you can assure your employee that their medical costs are covered for approved treatment and that our adjusters are always available to help them navigate the process.

MYTH #5: “My employer and the insurance company will think I’m faking it.”

The underlying issue here may be a lack of trust between employee and employer. Another factor may be the employee’s unfamiliarity with the workers’ comp process. Either way, it’s important that you encourage and maintain communication with employees and educate them on what to expect following an injury. The reason you have workers’ comp and the reason companies like Summit exist is one and the same—because people get hurt at work. We know accidents happen, even with proper tools and safety training, and we’re here to help your employees and you navigate the process.

Stay Educated, Yourself

As an employer, you may not think about workers’ comp much if your workplace hasn’t experienced an injury; but there is plenty of opportunity to educate yourself while you educate your employees, especially as it relates to job safety. Providing your employees with safety training and the proper tools to get the job done safely and efficiently is your responsibility as the employer.³ It goes a long way in preventing injuries before they happen, as well as gaining your employees’ trust. It‘s important that they know you care and are looking out for their safety.

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Footnotes

“Ergonomics.” Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Dept. of Labor, www.osha.gov/SLTC/ergonomics/identifyprobs.html (Accessed Dec. 29, 2020).
“Back2work®.” Summit Consulting, LLC (dba Summit, the people who know workers’ comp, LLC), www.summitholdings.com/site/tp/BACK2WORK__1 (Accessed Dec. 29, 2020).
“Employer Responsibilities.” Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Dept. of Labor, www.osha.gov/as/opa/worker/employer-responsibility.html (Accessed Dec. 29, 2020).

Disclaimer

The information presented in this publication is intended to provide guidance and is not intended as a legal interpretation of any federal, state or local laws, rules or regulations applicable to your business. The loss prevention information provided is intended only to assist policyholders of Summit managed insurers in the management of potential loss producing conditions involving their premises and/or operations based on generally accepted safe practices. In providing such information, Summit Consulting LLC does not warrant that all potential hazards or conditions have been evaluated or can be controlled. It is not intended as an offer to write insurance for such conditions or exposures. The liability of Summit Consulting LLC and its managed insurers is limited to the terms, limits and conditions of the insurance policies underwritten by any of them.