A San Diego nurse was recently arrested after defrauding her healthcare company of hundreds of thousands of dollars. The nurse collected disability and workers’ comp. benefits for seven years before the alleged “disability” was discovered to be false. Gholipour was sentenced to six years in local custody after defrauding her employer out of more than $300,000 in workers’ compensation benefits. Studies show that 2% of workers’ compensation claims are fraudulent. Here are some tips on how you can create a zero-tolerance fraud policy in your workplace.
Eliminate Misconceptions
Educate your employees on your workers’ compensation policy. Make it clear you are prepared to investigate and report any suspicions of fraud, and display posters or bulletins around the office to spotlight examples or cases of fraud. Teach your employers the seriousness of workers’ compensation claims and the potential legal repercussions if a false claim is made. Also, encourage your employees to report knowledge of fraud anonymously, and offer a reward for those who come forward.
Create a Safe Workplace
Consider starting a safety program. You can hold regular safety meetings or even appoint a safety captain to educate staff on safety procedures and preventative measures. Also, designate someone to immediately report all workplace injuries. Have a plan in place to record evidence of the injury and get a detailed account of the surrounding events. This will create an atmosphere of accountability within your staff and make it more difficult to substantiate a false injury claim.
Look Out For Fraud “Red Flags”
During the hiring process, be on the lookout for candidates with a sketchy work history. If they have jumped jobs multiple times or exaggerate an incident or conflict at a previous workplace, they might not be on the up and up. Also, be wary if they seem to withhold information about their past. These do not necessarily mean they will commit fraud, but they are signs that you should take a closer look at this candidate’s background and treat them with a watchful eye.
We at Kippers Insurance want to help you create a safe and productive workplace, free from injury and fraud, but the truth is injuries do happen. To make sure your company’s assets are protected in the event of a workplace accident, we can give you a no-obligation quote. Call today (760)471-2200!
Photo Credit: Mark Mathoslan