As many of you are aware, OSHA issued a final rule related to the tracking of workplace injuries and illnesses. Though there have been some delays, OSHA is now accepting electronic submissions of your injury and illness reports.

Certain employers, as specified below, are required to submit the information from their 2016 reports electronically by December 1, 2017. We encourage you to check with your state’s OSHA consultation division to confirm their guidance on this regulation.

Kylene Polhamus, OD, co-authored today’s blog. She is an optometrist with Boling Vision Center with specializations including treatment and management of ocular disease and pediatrics.

A total eclipse once signaled the end of the world—or at least a message from God. Though a total eclipse may not seem so significant today, it is still a big deal. Those who have experienced one describe it as night falling—suddenly—in the middle of the day. It gets so dark that the stars appear in the sky, summer insects strike up their evening chorus, and birds fall quiet. You can see beads around the dark moon and maybe tongues of red fire around the edge of the sun. And it’s over in minutes.

In less than two weeks, on August 21, 2017, America will experience its first total eclipse in 38 years. It will travel from coast to coast, which hasn’t happened in nearly a century, cutting a “path of totality” across the middle of the continent. Although Indiana is (just) too far north to experience the total eclipse, we can experience a partial eclipse. In South Bend, where we’re writing, the eclipse will begin at 12:57 p.m. and last nearly three hours. At 2:22 p.m., the moon will cover 88% of the sun. (You can check this information for your own location here.)

That will be something to see—but not without proper eye protection.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, Rosie Ward, Ph.D. We hope you enjoy Rosie’s wisdom and perspective. 

Hardly a day goes by when someone doesn’t publish an article on the “war on talent” and the need for recruiting and retaining good people. Setting aside the irony of referring to attracting, engaging, and keeping good people as a “war,” it is important for companies to pay attention and work to close the gaps from where they are and where they need to be for their organization and its people to thrive; otherwise, they will struggle to find good people and grow – let alone survive.

Core values are the heartbeat of your organization. You likely have values that address topics such as respect for all people, individual dignity, and trust among team members. But every day your organization can face threats to your values. These threats can come in the form of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, favoritism, and gossip.

As much as you plan to prevent workplace injuries, it is important to create a plan to reintegrate injured employees into your workforce should an accident occur.

We often hear the term “light duty” used with return-to-work programs. But light duty has begun to carry a negative connotation. Some people believe the injured employee isn’t pulling their weight or is just doing made up work that isn’t beneficial or helping anyone. I encourage you to shift your mindset. Instead of light duty, I suggest you use one of these two terms as you speak with your employees about your return-to-work program – Modified Duty or Transitional Duty.

OSHA has proposed a delay in the compliance date for the electronic submission of injury and illness logs. Rather than the original deadline of July 1, 2017, OSHA has announced delaying the submission deadline until December 1, 2017 to provide the agency with time to review the rule and questions that have been raised.

Tragedies involving Lyme disease have become all too common in recent years. And unfortunately Lyme disease is just one of the hazards brought by ticks.

When you’re gearing up to spend a day outdoors you often remember to pack sunscreen to prevent burns and water to stay hydrated, but are you thinking about ticks? Employers with outdoor workers - is your workforce at risk of exposure to ticks? Have you educated them on proper precautions?

For both outdoor workers and individuals simply enjoying some time outside, take time to review these important tick safety considerations:

Employees are our greatest assets. But the recruitment, development, and retention of those employees doesn’t come without its complexities and challenges. From harassment and discrimination to FMLA, ADA, workers’ compensation, and more – there is a lot of noise in the HR world!

As adults, we tend to think of bullying as something we may need to protect our children from. However, bullying isn’t limited to children. Unfortunately, instances of adult bullying are on the rise.

Over 25% of adults admit to having been the victim of bullying as an adult. The most predominant environment in which adult bullying occurs? The workplace. 

Even the best risk management strategies leave some room for workplace injuries. When the employee comes back, you need to make sure you have the best possible return-to-work plan too. We’ve highlighted the benefits to the employee, but your insurance company expects it as well. In fact, an underwriter’s pricing decision may be impacted by whether or not you have a bona fide return-to-work plan.

Here are 5 important considerations for your organization’s return-to-work program…