Workers' Compensation Policy

Purpose

To provide medical care and partial pay replacement to employees who are injured or who contract an illness as a result of their employment, consistent with applicable state workers' compensation law.

Policy

Workers' compensation is a no-fault benefits system governed by state law. It protects employees, who are compensated for work-related injuries or illnesses without needing to prove employer fault, and it protects the company, which is generally shielded from direct lawsuits by employees for covered workplace injuries in exchange for providing this coverage.

Benefits typically include:

• Replacement pay — a percentage of wages while the employee is out due to the injury or illness.
• Medical and hospital expense coverage for the work-related condition.
• Rehabilitative services, in some states.

The specific benefit amounts, maximum duration, and waiting period vary by state. An illness or injury must be certified by a physician to be compensable.

Guiding principles

• Employees are the company's most valuable resource; maintaining a safe workplace is a shared responsibility of the company and every employee.
• A workplace injury creates hardship — physical, psychological, and financial — for the employee and the company; all parties should work toward restoring the employee's health and supporting a prompt, appropriate return to work.
• Injured or ill employees should receive appropriate medical care and prompt, accurate benefit payments.
• The integrity of the workers' compensation process depends on management and employees acting ethically, cooperatively, and in good faith.
• Sound accident prevention, medical case management, and return-to-work programs are core to effective workers' compensation administration.

Guidelines for managers

1. Ensure the employee receives prompt, appropriate medical treatment.
2. Report the incident as soon as possible, per applicable reporting timelines.
3. Show genuine concern for the employee's well-being; treat the employee with dignity and respect throughout the process.
4. Ensure the employee receives the appropriate benefit rate under the applicable state statute.
5. Work toward a safe, timely return to work.
6. Provide or arrange counseling/support to address underlying causal factors and help prevent recurrence.
7. Pursue appropriate action where a claim appears fraudulent.
8. Investigate the cause of the incident and correct any workplace conditions or procedures that contributed to it.

Non-retaliation

It is against the law to discharge, discipline, or otherwise retaliate against an employee for reporting a workplace injury or illness, or for filing a workers' compensation claim in good faith. This protection exists both under OSHA's recordkeeping rule (29 CFR 1904.35(b)(1)(iv)) and, separately, under most states' own workers' compensation statutes. Report any concern about retaliation to Human Resources.

Responsibilities

Role	Responsibility
Injured/ill employee	Reports the injury promptly; follows treatment guidance; cooperates with return-to-work planning.
Manager	Reports incidents promptly; supports the employee; coordinates with HR and safety.
Human Resources	Coordinates claim administration and return-to-work efforts; ensures compliance with state requirements.
Safety/Risk Management	Investigates incidents; recommends and tracks corrective workplace changes.
Third-Party Claims Administrator	Processes claims and coordinates benefit payments under the applicable state program.