Whether you are an established company that self-insures for workers’ compensation purposes or you pay a premium to a private company for your coverage, workers’ compensation claims can affect your budget. The bigger the employee’s workers’ compensation claim, the greater the impact it may have on your company’s operating budget or its future insurance premiums.
Sometimes, you may have grounds to defend against a benefits claim, such as when an employee tries to get benefits for an injury that happens on their own time or when they lie about the extent or impact of their injuries. The social media accounts for your employees could be a valuable resource when defending against their claims in court.
They may share how they really got hurt
Going over what someone has posted to their favorite social media platforms may seem like a waste of time. However, people often share freely throughout the day without thinking about the implications of what they post. You can use their social media content as evidence in court in many cases.
Your worker claiming that they hurt their back on the job might have shared a post a few weeks before they started their claim about how they hurt themselves helping a friend move a refrigerator. On the other hand, an investigation may find pictures of them engaging in demanding physical activity, while they claim they are so injured that they cannot even do their job anymore.
What someone shares on social media can absolutely play a role in a workers’ compensation case or a court hearing. Investigating a worker carefully, including reviewing what they have said and done on social media, can help your company defend against an expensive workers’ compensation benefits claim.
