If you only have a handful of employees who you have known for years, you could probably tell straight away if they are being dishonest in trying to claim workers’ compensation. Once your company grows, it becomes harder to be sure if your employees are telling the truth.
While most people’s workers’ compensation claims are genuine, some are not. Spotting falsities is crucial to avoid paying excessive premiums or setting an unhealthy precedent that might lead other employees to think they too could get away with a false claim.
How do you define a “false” claim?
Saying that a claim is false may be too strong in some cases. A better term might be that some people fail to tell the whole truth, hiding anything they think might harm their claim. Or, some people exaggerate their claims, seeking more compensation than they merit.
Here are some signs to watch out for:
- They were leaving anyway. A person may file a claim to seek a final payday from a job they are about to leave or lose. If you end their contract, it may be out of revenge. If they leave, it may be because they no longer feel any loyalty toward you.
- There were reporting delays. When an injury-causing accident happens, you would expect to know about it promptly. The more serious the injuries, the quicker you’d expect to find out. If you do not find out for days, query why.
- There were inconsistencies in the report. If the official report of what occurred differs from what the employee or others tell you, you would be right to wonder which version is correct. Especially if the claim version sounds worse.
While you want to protect your workers who are genuinely injured on the job, you do not want to allow people to cheat you and the system. Getting legal help will be crucial if you doubt the integrity of a worker’s claim.
