When employees injure themselves at work, Tennessee employers must know how to respond. Even with worker’s compensation, companies must follow proper procedures to protect employees and get them back to work as quickly as possible after recovery.
The Society for Human Resource Management offers insights into the proper response to employee harm. Injured employees must know how to protect their claim and their work position.
Medical care plan
Companies should have a medical plan in place for when workers hurt themselves. For instance, someone should take the injured employee to receive medical attention, and employers must know whom to contact when they learn of a workplace injury. Whatever strategy a company creates, it must comply with the latest Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations and standards.
Internal investigation
Workplace injuries require thorough investigation to determine what happened. Employers should compile incident reports, interview witnesses and take action to prevent similar incidents.
OSHA
Companies may need to report certain workplace harm to OSHA within a specific period. For instance, the administration must receive notification of inpatient hospitalizations and amputations within 24 hours, and employers must notify an OSHA representative of on-the-job deaths within eight hours. If a company fails to contact OSHA, injured employees have the right to file a complaint.
Leave options
Besides standard workers’ comp leave, injured employees may also qualify for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act. If so, companies must resort to the proper leave option according to information attained from medical professionals regarding the injured worker’s diagnosis and prognosis. Hurt employees should understand how their employers must respond to workplace accidents. A lack of knowledge may result in a violation of rights.
