A few years ago, the IRS ruled it was OK for employees to use medical flex-spending money for over-the-counter medications. Good news, right? Well, not exactly.
The American Journal of Industrial Medicine warns that the ruling created a greater risk of workplace injuries and lost time because of employees who end up zonked on over-the-counter meds.
It’s not that employees are trying to abuse the medicines. Many don’t know that some OTCs contain antihistamines and other strong ingredients that impair judgment and reaction time.
And because the OTCs come without a prescription and doctor’s orders for dosages, still many more workers think exceeding the recommended dosage on the package won’t have consequences.
Plus, the plain fact is that if employees have flex money to use up, their first convenient option is OTCs.
One way you can help: Let employees know about the dangers of over-the-counter drugs, especially if you have a flex plan that covers OTCs.
Sending out the alarm can save tons of sick time and maybe prevent
a serious injury in the workplace.
