According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, around a third of all workers' compensation claims are filed by employees on the job for a year or less, with 13% being filed by an employee in their first three months of employment.
You can evaluate the statistics as they relate to your company's claims by sorting employees into two categories — those employed longer than one year and those employed less than a year. Once sorted, determine the frequency of claims per 100 employees from each group. For more on employer exposure and common claim sources, see Understanding Workers' Compensation Risks.
If a large section of your workforce is aging and working physically demanding jobs, your long-term employee group may have more claims. However, most employers find that shorter-term employees have the higher claim frequency.
One of the main culprits behind higher claim frequency among short-term employees is lack of experience and training. As new hires accumulate work hours and receive classroom or on-the-job training, they usually gain experience, learn to recognize hazards, and become more safety conscious.
Another factor is personality and habit. Some workers may tend to ignore rules, insist on being left to their own devices when tasks are completed, or regularly use shortcuts without regard for the risks involved.
To reduce hiring risk, consider pre-screening applicants for traits that match your safety culture. The two common types of pre-screening tests are behavioral assessments and personality measures.
Behavioral assessments ask direct questions about past behaviors such as drug use or theft. Because questions are blunt, applicants sometimes answer honestly without overthinking, which helps reveal specific risks an applicant may pose.
Personality tests examine an applicant's characteristics, attitudes, and opinions using more indirect questions. Responses help evaluate and rank applicants based on potential fit and risk.
Using both tests together can be a potent risk-control tool. Employers who use pre-screening often save by avoiding applicants unlikely to stick with the job and by potentially reducing the number of workers' compensation claims. For information about broader coverage options that can complement loss control efforts, see Worldwide Liability, Auto and Workers Compensation.
If you want help applying these strategies to your business, talk to an agent about pre-screening and training programs tailored to your operations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do new employees file more workers' compensation claims?
New employees often lack job experience and specific on-the-job training, which increases the chance of mistakes and injuries.
Do behavioral assessments really work for hiring?
Behavioral assessments can reveal past actions and tendencies that indicate higher risk, but they should be one part of a broader hiring and training process.
How can employers reduce claims among short-term workers?
Clear onboarding, focused safety training, mentoring, and monitoring early performance help new hires learn safe work habits and reduce claim frequency.