The New Hire Trap
It’s tough out there. We all know it. And desperate times lead to desperate measures for some. Resume padding has always existed but, as the current job crisis continues there’s been an uptick in, shall we say, people putting themselves in the best light.
Since our business is helping your business keep your Workers’ Compensation costs low here are few tips designed to help you make sure that your hire is a good one and how to ferret out potential employees who are actually serial workers’ compensation claimants, malingerers or have prior industrial injuries that can end up affecting your bottom line and X-Mod.
Use an integrity test.
This is one of the more effective tools for identifying job applicants who may be likely to file workers’ comp claims. Despite their $8 to $14 upfront cost tests such as the one developed by American Tescor is a great way to identify and remove potential workers who are prone to Workers’ Compensation fraud.
Avoid “medical baggage.”
You should try to give every applicant who has been given a job offer a pre-employment physical before being approved for hire. Many job applicants have been out of work for a long time during this economic downturn. When they are finally back to work, either in a position requiring physical labor or a sedentary one, which can lead to back and neck pain and repetitive injuries, they are often out of condition and can be prime candidates for workplace injuries.
Background checks.
You should consider a thorough background check by a private investigation firm, particularly for employees who will be driving their own or company vehicles. If they have a record of past traffic violations and DUIs, this can spell trouble. A background check can also reveal if a candidate has misrepresented their workers’ compensation history or medical condition. This can uncover a history of false claims or demonstrate that the applicant is a safety risk based on medical opinion.
Drug testing.
This is not just a matter of identifying illegal drug use, but a test may indicate that an applicant is taking one or more prescriptions for a previous job-related injury. That’s information that would never be known on a job application. Employers need to comply with state and federal laws when undertaking drug screenings.
At Leader’s Choice Insurance, we are dedicated to helping you keep your workers’ compensation policy rates at a minimum. Subcribe by email to our blog for weekly tips on how to lower your scores and reduce the expense of your worker’s compensation insurance rates. To see how you are doing, contact us directly or click on the button below for a no-obligation quote for your workers comp insurance.
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