The Aging Workforce and Workers' Compensation

Preston Diamond, executive director for IWCP, forecasts how the aging workforce will affect workers’ compensation in 2012. According to data from the Institute on Aging at the University of North Carolina, 20% of workers will be 55 or older by 2020. “Although older workers tend to get injured less on the job, when they do get hurt we find larger claims and more days off the job,” Diamond says. The BLS says that older workers take an average of 15 days off per injury compared to one day off for younger workers, and require more extensive medical treatment. “Factor in the statistics showing older workers are less likely to return to work after an injury – in some cases over 80% less likely, compared to 12% for a worker in his 20s – and you see a disturbing trend,” he adds. Diamond claims that the best way to get an aging workforce back on the floor is to focus on improving and customizing the return-to-work program based on the severity of the injury, age, existing medical conditions and so on. “Ease workers back into the fold and make the workplace conducive to them, even if it’s simply making sure there is enough bright light in the work area ,” he says, adding that the eyes always seem to be the first thing to go. For more on the 2012 workers’ compensation radar from Diamond, click here.