Employers: Communication is Crucial

Roberta S. Mike, WCLA, FCLA

Following a work accident, communication is the most important component to working with your injured employee, their treating physician, their family members, your staff, and insurance claim professional.

Any time an employee is injured on the job, it is a good idea to remind them—and reeducate them, if necessary— about the policies and procedures from their date of hire and including after their work injury. Make sure the injured worker understands the importance of communication with the insurance claim professional as well as representatives of the company’s human resources department.

Following their work injury, it’s a good reminder to recap the process for them. Here are some important tips to share with your team leads/supervisors:

• Give your employee a hard copy of the policies and procedures for their own information.

• Recap any accident detail information.

• Explain the return-to-work transitional duty program. Show them the job to ensure they are going back to a safe environment.

• Any lack of communication throughout the process will lead to distrust and can increase anxiety with the injured employer, as well as other employees who may have a limited understanding of the situation.

• Family members should always be kept informed, as well, to keep the lines of understanding and communication open.

• Explain the Family Leave and Medical Act (FMLA) and other benefits such as their health insurance.

• Review their 401(k) contributions, etc.

• Be clear on when the company will continue salary payments and notify your insurance claim professional promptly.

• Contact your employee to ensure they are getting benefits and medical treatment.

• Work with your insurance claim professional to guarantee consistent communication.

You are an advocate for your employee. It is not only important but crucial that they know you’re in their corner and will be their voice as they go through treatment and recovery.

Offer to contact a family member of the injured employee to arrange for assistance with transportation, medical appointments, shopping, or getting prescriptions. The more involved you can be in what their “next step” is, often anticipating what that might be, the more helpful it will be on the injured worker and their loved ones.

If your employee decides to elect for legal representation, continue to communicate with them clearly and concisely to ensure everything is monitored from medical outcome to conclusion. Always establish a return to work with the employee to let them know their position is secure and they can focus on their recovery.

It’s polite to send get well wishes and/or cards to your injured employee so they know they matter. Make sure you check to see if there’s anything the family needs during this time.

Words make a big impact during sensitive times such as these. Always be thorough and forthright with the employee/their family and convey the importance of understanding the next step in the process. It’s good to keep up to date on any state rules or regulations affecting them or ones they may encounter.

Take the time to review the Georgia Board State website to familiarize yourself as much as possible with the various resources available through them at www.sbwc.ga.gov.

Many of these suggestions may seem obvious, but they stand to be reiterated. Only through repetition of these positions and supportive actions can you and your organization demonstrate that you care through understanding and compassion.

Roberta Mike, current president of the Atlanta Claims Association, is a senior field claim adjuster for Strategic Comp, a division of Great American Insurance Group. She began her career forty years ago at Travelers Insurance Company in New York, and also worked for Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company in New York and Georgia, Ryder Claim Services, and Zurich North America, and Muller Water Products . Roberta served as president for Atlanta Association of Insurance Professional (AAIP) which is a local chapter of the National African American Insurance Association. She is a recipient 2017 Recipient Claims Person of the Year and Pioneer’s Award of 2018.