The recent shift to remote work for thousands of employees has dramatically affected the workplace environment. Companies have also sought value in project-based, seasonal, and part-time employees to meet their changing needs. Both remote and short-term workers can be very cost-effective in terms of benefits, equipment, and overhead.
Although part-time, seasonal, and project-based employees may be involved with the company for a limited time, their health and safety are still of primary importance to employers. By including them in your safety and occupational health plans, you help ensure the safety of all employees and avoid potential legal suits. By keeping consistent with wellness plans and preventive measures across all of your employees, you benefit from a more reliable workforce across the board.
The best way to ensure consistency is by partnering with a quality occupational health clinic. Midtown offers comprehensive care planning that includes workplace safety, drug and alcohol screening, physicals, injury care, and record-keeping. We’re a locally-owned, doctor-owned business that focuses exclusively on occupational health. Our focus is not only injury recovery but preventive care and reducing re-injury for all types of employees.
Worker’s Compensation for Short-Term Employees
When a short-term employee is injured, it’s even more important that they are healed and back to work as soon as possible. Because their time is limited, most of it should be spent on the job, not in treatment. Our comprehensive strategy not only treats injuries but follows through with capacity assessments and physical therapies to help protect against future injury.
In Colorado, employers are required by law to provide worker’s compensation benefits to their part-time employees. Including short-term employees in your safety plan can help your company avoid worker injury, death, and compensation claims. No matter how long an employee expects to be with the company, they should receive the same safety training as their full-time counterparts.
A 1099 worker may also be counted as an employee unless proven otherwise. There are some exemptions, but the state imposes serious fines for failing to insure workers. Reporting requirements for on-the-job injuries are the same, regardless of if the worker is part-time, seasonal, or full-time.
Screening for Short-term Employees
Substance abuse disorder has a billion-dollar impact on workplace safety and productivity every year. Drugs and alcohol impair judgment, slow reaction times, and can lead to workplace violence. Employees under the influence are at a much higher risk of being injured or causing injuries at work.
Even when an employee isn’t intoxicated on the job, substance abuse disorder can impact performance in other ways. Drug and alcohol abuse leads to serious health concerns that can cause an increase in sick days, susceptibility to disease, lack of nutrition, and sleep deprivation. Users are also more likely to contract communicable diseases and pass them to other employees.
Midtown offers a wide range of drug and alcohol screenings that we can customize to fit any employer’s needs. Pre-employment drug testing can detect applicants with substance abuse issues to inform hiring decisions. Post-accident drug testing helps determine if substance abuse played a part in causing workplace injuries. It is important to recognize that your organization needs to develop a policy We offer breath alcohol testing and hair follicle drug testing that detect both short and long-term substance use.
After hiring, random and follow-up drug testing are valuable tools for monitoring ongoing employee health conditions. Random testing itself can deter employees that might otherwise continue to use after the initial hiring process. We provide DOT compliance drug and alcohol testing as well as other job-specific drug testing.
Specialty Health Exams for Short-term Employees
Physicals and Independent Medical Examinations help employers ensure that workers are fit for the physical activity their job duties require. Making certain short-term employees can safely perform their jobs before starting work cuts down on future accidents and injuries. Midtown offers Fit for Duty Exams (FFDs), Functional Capacity Exams (FCEs), and Department of Transportation physicals to establish pre-employment baseline information.
After a workplace injury, we have Maximum Medical Improvement Exams (MMIs), Impairment Rating Exams (IRs), and Fitness for Duty Physicals available. These tests help form treatment plans and estimate the worker’s ability to return to regular duties. Hazmat physicals, Silica physicals, and Respiratory physicals monitor exposure to harmful materials. These tests can assist employers to identify and address on-site health risks.
Therapy for Short-Term Employees
It’s critical to care for short-term workers after an injury for many reasons. The faster they can receive treatment, the sooner they can return to the job. Our clinic is uniquely positioned to begin patient treatment quickly. Since all our services are in-house, you don’t have to wait to coordinate with multiple labs and offices. We are your only point of contact, and we handle the healing process from beginning to end.
The physical therapy programs we provide address direct injuries in the workplace. We’ll provide a complete and accurate diagnosis, form a treatment plan, and facilitate a smooth transition back to work when it’s appropriate. Get realistic treatment time and recovery estimates as well as reliable record-keeping for every employee.
Occupational therapy programs assist employees in performing their regular activities and can help prevent injuries before they happen. We make sure you have a plan in place that includes preferred providers, actionable policies, and safe job site strategies. Having a plan before an accident will make the claims and treatment process easier when an injury does happen.
Every employee is important, no matter how much time they contribute. By making short-term employees like part-time, seasonal, and project-based workers a part of your occupational health plan, you improve morale, productivity, and safety overall.
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