Survey: Worker Injuries A Top Employer Worry
NU Online News Service, April 2, 11:22 a.m. EST?-Worker injury is a top concern of many American business owners, but few have a formal return to work policy a new survey has found.
According to a telephone survey performed for The Hartford Financial Services Group, when it comes to situations covered by insurance, three out of four businesses with up to 500 employees are either worried or very worried about workplace accidents.
Theft was a close second at 71 percent, while fear of flood was near the bottom of the list with only 23 percent of respondents indicating concern.
The survey found that 54 percent of the respondents have had at least one workplace injury in the past three years. Of those reporting accidents, 91 percent said they were worried about future accidents.
The survey found that 73 percent –nearly the same number of businesses that are worried about workplace injuries– offer temporary alternative assignments to employees injured on the job who cannot perform their normal duties. But only one-third of those have a formal return-to-work policy.
"Transitional employment is an important part of managing worker injuries and claims," said Pamela Rippens, senior vice president and director of field operations for Specialty Risk Services (SRS), The Hartford's third-party claims administrator.
Ms. Rippens said when employers identify a choice of medically appropriate jobs and get injured employees back to the workplace in meaningful work, they help them recover much faster, "It all comes down to home recovery versus recovery on the job – and the job serves a worker's long-term interests better."
Ms. Rippens added that The Hartford has a strong commitment "to effective return-to-work programs, and partners with client companies to help identify appropriate, meaningful employment opportunities for injured employees within their own companies or in other organizations."
The telephone survey, done this March, involved 225 responses from interviews of businesses with three to 500 employees. It was conducted by Market Decisions Corp. of Portland, Ore., on behalf of The Hartford.
The Hartford, an investment and insurance company, reported 2002 revenues of $15.9 billion. As of Dec. 31, 2002, The Hartford said it had assets of $182 billion and stockholders' equity of $10.7 billion.
© Arc, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to TMSalesOperations@arc-network.com. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.