If an employee requested equipment to improve ergonomics, how willing would your company be to supply it? In some cases a small expense now could save tons in workers’ comp benefits down the road. One horror story:
Angela Grott, a finance clerk at the Menard Correctional Center in Illinois had requested a headset for her phone. The reason: She often had to type while speaking on the phone.
Her request was denied, and she carried on with her work — holding her phone receiver in the crook of her neck for hours at a time while typing.
As a result, she started to suffer from severe neck, shoulder and arm pain and headaches.
Grott’s condition was so bad she underwent surgery in an attempt to relieve her pain.
The cost: Grott’s workers’ comp claim so far totals $128,424 for medical bills, according to a report by the Belleville News-Democrat.
Grott has also received $7,304 for 12 weeks of temporary disability pay. There’s even a permanent partial disability claim pending, which could carry a price tag of more than $100,000.
How much would the headset have cost? About $10.
Pre-existing condition didn’t matter
Another part of this story employers should be aware of: Grott’s condition existed prior to her employment at Menard — and she was still allowed to collect workers’ comp.
Turns out Grott had a pre-existing condition that caused disc degeneration in her neck. The awkward position in which she held her phone simply aggravated that condition.
And according to Illinois law, all an individual has to do to file for workers’ comp is show a pre-existing condition was aggravated by his/her work. The fact that the condition occurred outside of the job doesn’t matter.
