| the small business guide to lower workers' comp premiums |
Chapter 1: The Small Business Challenge
Chapter 2: The ABC’s of Workers’ Comp
Chapter 3: All I Know is that It Costs Too Much
Chapter 5: Jumping Through Hoops
Chapter 6: Who’s Wearing the Safety Hat?
Chapter 7: Accident Prone
Chapter 8: Erecting Roadblocks
Chapter 9: To Catch a Thief
Chapter 11: A “High” Priority
Chapter 12: Less than Full Strength
Chapter 13: Let the Games Begin
Chapter 14: Marketing 101
Chapter 15: You didn’t Hire Guinea Pigs
Chapter 16: Think You’re Too Small for a Written Program?
Chapter 17: Looking for Trouble
Chapter 18: Measuring Up
Chapter 19: Safety and Loss Control Training
Chapter 21: Long-Term Health Effects
Chapter 22: Fit for Duty
Chapter 23: Legal Pitfalls
Chapter 24: There’s No Shame in Asking for Help
Chapter 25: Help is at Your Fingertips
Chapter 26: The Secret Weapon
- Although competing in the same marketplace, there are inherent differences between small businesses and their larger
counterparts. Knowing these differences creates a well-informed consumer of workers’ compensation insurance and alerts small
business owners and managers of the need to take action.
Chapter 2: The ABC’s of Workers’ Comp
- What is workers’ compensation? When is it required? What are the benefits? These are just a few of the questions that are
answered in this brief chapter. Without unnecessarily delving into the history of workers’ compensation, this chapter provides the
foundational knowledge that is necessary to understand the remainder of the book.
Chapter 3: All I Know is that It Costs Too Much
- Although it is among the most costly expenses, many small business owners have an inadequate understanding of how workers’
compensation premiums are calculated. Through both explanation and example, this chapter presents the process of calculating
workers’ compensation insurance premiums. The myth that workers’ compensation premiums are a fixed and unalterable
business expense is dispelled in this chapter, providing the small business owner with both hope and confidence that he can take
a bite out his workers’ compensation premiums.
- No, the information in this chapter is not top-secret. But it’s as vital to attacking the high cost of workers’ compensation premiums
as is a war strategy to the Pentagon. The classification of employees is the fundamental building block for calculating workers’
compensation premiums. This chapter explains what they are; who assigns them; how to determine if they are correct; and what to
do if they are thought to be wrong.
Chapter 5: Jumping Through Hoops
- Some states have laws that provide for a premium discount for companies that implement safety programs, safety committees, or
drug free workplace programs. If you’re willing to jump through a few hoops, you could score big.
Chapter 6: Who’s Wearing the Safety Hat?
- Certainly safety is everyone’s responsibility. But when no one is designated to coordinate company safety efforts, that’s exactly who
does it. This chapter will help you identify the individual best-suite for that roll.
Chapter 7: Accident Prone
- Even within small businesses, a small percentage of employees submit a disproportionate number of workers’ compensation
claims. These employees can be an incredible source of frustration for business owners trying their best to prevent injuries and to
keep workers’ compensation premiums within reach. This chapter addresses the topic head-on and provides a means countering
the problem, regardless of how small the workforce.
Chapter 8: Erecting Roadblocks
- Many small business owners feel at least partially immune from the threat of workers’ compensation fraud. Whereas workers’
compensation fraud may very well be less prevalent within those small businesses in which strong bonds of trust exist between the
employer and the employees, the only employer immune to claimant fraud is one with no employees. Nonetheless, small business
employers can erect roadblocks to make the road to workers’ compensation fraud more difficult to maneuver.
Chapter 9: To Catch a Thief
- Although there are specific steps that small business employers can take to deter workers’ compensation fraud, the unfortunate
reality is that fraud may still rear its ugly head. When that happens, the goal is to identify and expose the fraud as quickly as
possible. This chapter presents the most common and strongest indicators of workers’ compensation fraud and instructs
employers how to use that information effectively.
- When accidents happen in a small business, there is a tendency for the business owner or manager to shoulder the burden of
investigating and analyzing the accident on his own, and then to announce what will be done differently to prevent a future similar
incident. This chapter identifies the flaw in that tactic and presents a team approach that is compatible with small businesses.
Chapter 11: A “High” Priority
- The relationship between substance abuse and workers’ compensation claims is so profound that it demands to be made a “high”
priority, and should likely take precedence over many of the recommended practices in this book.
Chapter 12: Less than Full Strength
- Because they have bought-in to some of the myths surrounding modified duty, far too many small business owners and managers
disregard it, claiming that modified duty is not feasible for their company. Such attitudes cost these small businesses dearly. This
chapter addresses these myths, explains the many benefits of using modified duty, and discusses the unique challenges faced by
small business owners and managers when attempting to use modified duty to control workers’ compensation costs.
Chapter 13: Let the Games Begin
- When insurance companies are pitted against one another to win your business, the clash almost always manifests itself in
competitive pricing. This chapter provides guidance on obtaining competitive quotes, as well as instructions for basing the selection
not only on the amount of the premium, but also on the ability, liability, stability and dependability of the insurance carrier.
Chapter 14: Marketing 101
- If you are the individual within your company who is responsible for overseeing employee safety efforts, there is one more hat that
you should be wearing… the hat of the “marketing director.”
Chapter 15: You didn’t Hire Guinea Pigs
- While most small business owners would rather themselves be injured than one of their employees, they sometimes
unintentionally and unknowingly allow employees to become occupational guinea pigs. This chapter explores the true essence of
being proactive by stressing hazard identification prior to an accident or near miss, and by exploring management characteristics of
truly proactive companies.
Chapter 16: Think You’re Too Small for a Written Program?
- Many small business owners summarily dismiss the notion of needing formalization and written documentation when it comes to
safety. In some cases, they assume that a formal safety program is just for the “big companies”. This chapter exposes the fallacy in
that thought-process and provides a foundation for formalizing your safety efforts into a documented safety management system.
Chapter 17: Looking for Trouble
- Before any hazard can be controlled, it must first be identified and evaluated. This chapter explores risk perception and acts as a
catalyst for small business owners to proactively evidence hazards and do something about them before a negative outcome
occurs.
Chapter 18: Measuring Up
- Understandably business owners question company safety efforts when there is a spike in the number of employee injuries.
However, the frequency of injuries does not measure the effectiveness of safety efforts. Instead, safety performance is the proper
measure of safety efforts. This chapter will explain the importance of gauging safety efforts with proactive measures and will provide
you with the knowledge to properly measure safety efforts in your business.
Chapter 19: Safety and Loss Control Training
- Too often, it’s said that employees need more training as method of preventing recurrence of an incident that resulted in an injury. In
many cases, it’s actually the training that’s the problem. This chapter explains barriers to conducting effective training and sound,
fundamental principles for providing effective training to the adult learner.
- Injuries such as back strains and conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome represent some of the most expensive, prevalent, and
difficult to manage claims in the American workers’ comp scene. These injuries all stem from hazards commonly referred to as
“ergonomic risk factors.” Small businesses have just as many ergonomic risk factors as their larger counterparts; and there is no
small business “type” that doesn’t have at least a few risk factors. Small businesses can’t afford to dismiss ergonomics as an
issue applicable only to large manufacturers if they hope to take a bite out of their workers’ comp.
Chapter 21: Long-Term Health Effects
- While most small businesses don’t handle “methyl ethyl death”, they do sometimes work with solvents, acids, dusts, noise,
asbestos, etc. All of these small business exposures pose long term health risks to employees that cannot be ignored. While the
exposures may seem harmless now, the price in human life and dollars may not show up for years to come. Act now!
Chapter 22: Fit for Duty
- Susceptibility to musculoskeletal injuries, decreased mental concentration, increased fatigue and many other factors contribute to
workers’ compensation claims. Such factors are influenced – if not controlled by – the health of individual employees. While there is
no one best strategy for improving employee wellness, there are some fundamental practices and proven strategies that small
businesses can model when setting up their own wellness initiatives.
Chapter 23: Legal Pitfalls
- As nearly nothing in the legal realm of business is cut and dry, it’s important for small business owners to understand the legal
premises of workers’ compensation. This chapter explores the fundamental legal structure of workers’ compensation and offers
information for small business owners to consider when making decisions and approaching sensitive claims.
Chapter 24: There’s No Shame in Asking for Help
- Although this book provides a wealth of knowledge and tools that you can put to use to take a bite out of your workers’
compensation premium, that does not mean that you have to do it all on your own. After all, obtaining competent assistance from
outside of your company is not only within your power, it’s quite easy, and in many cases – free.
Chapter 25: Help is at Your Fingertips
- The Internet should be viewed as an invaluable resource for every small business concerned with preventing injuries and
controlling the cost of workers compensation. This chapter directs you to specific websites where you can find information that will
aid in your efforts, and eliminate countless hours of searching.
Chapter 26: The Secret Weapon
- Certainly, you are encouraged to implement each of the measures presented in earlier chapters. However, the significance and
impact of employing “The Secret Weapon” is unparalleled and should be afforded highest priority within your business.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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