Workers compensation is an insurance plan provided by Pittsburg State University to pay certain benefits to employees who are injured on the job. All university support staff and unclassified employees, graduate assistants and student employees are covered by workers compensation insurance.
The Division of Workers Compensation, Kansas Department of Labor, administers the Kansas Workers Compensation Act. The law provides that if an employee is injured or becomes sick due to work, that employee may be eligible, as determined by the State Self Insurance Fund (SSIF), to receive medical coverage and compensation for lost wages subject to a weekly maximum. Claims for workers compensation are processed by SSIF.
Complete information can be found on the Worker Compensation poster found on the HRS Posters and Notices page.
Covered Incidents
Only injuries that have occurred out of and/or in the course of employment activities and not caused by misconduct may be compensable by the State Self Insurance/Workers’ Compensation program.
If An Accident Occurs
An employees injured on the job should immediately notify his or her supervisor or other designated individual unless the injury prevents such notification. The department manager must assign another individual to complete these tasks if the employee’s immediate supervisor is unable to do so.
1. If the injury occurs during normal business hours and is not severe:
If the injury occurs during normal business hours, is not severe in nature, as determined by the employee, and the injured employee wants to seek medical treatment, the injured employee's supervisor and/or the injured employee and the supervisor should contact the State Self Insurance Fund (SSIF) at 785-296-2364 to complete a telephone First Report of Injury to seek authorization prior to seeking any medical treatment. Once the First Report of Injury is received, the injured employee can seek medical treatment as noted below. Note that if the claim is determined to be not compensable by SSIF, the employee will be responsible for charges and fees related to treatment, and they can be submitted to the employee’s personal health insurance provider.
If the employee chooses to seek treatment at the Bryant Student Health Center (BSHC), the supervisor should notify Bryant Student Health Center staff at x. 4452 of the compensability determination prior to the employee reporting to the health center for services. If the employee’s case is determined to be not compensable, the employee has the option to make an appointment through the BSHC Faculty/Staff Acute Care Clinic.
Employees are not required to seek medical treatment following the report of an injury or illness. The injured employee should understand that without the prior authorization from SSIF to seek treatment, if the injury is determined to not be compensable by worker's compensation, the employee will be responsible for associated out of pocket expenses.
The employee will need to determine at the time of the injury, based on the severity of the injury, if the employee should go to the emergency room immediately or schedule an appointment, as detailed in the First Report of Injury section, below. Regardless of whether an employee seeks medical treatment, the employee must report the injury to the employee's supervisor within 5 day of the incident.
2. If the injury is serious, severe, or life threatening, or if the accident occurs outside of regular business hours and the employee determine medical treatment is necessary immediately:
If the nature of the employee's injury is serious or life threatening, or if the accident occurs outside of regular business hours, and the employee determines medical treatment is necessary immediately, the injured employee should proceed directly to the facility noted below. The injured employee must notify the provider that the injury was incurred on the job. Please keep in mind that if the injury is not deemed to be work-related, by SSIF, the employee will be responsible for any costs not covered by the employee's health insurance plan for the emergency room visit. Additionally, injuries that did not result from or occur in the course of employment activities may not be covered by workers’ compensation.
The injured employee must provide the supervisor with any medical information, related to the work injury provided by the employee's healthcare provider. It is important that the employee keep his or her supervisor informed if the employee will miss work or seek medical help because of a job injury.
If the injured employee is prescribed medication, the employee must download and present the Injured Worker’s First Fill Prescription Form to the employee's pharmacy when dropping off the prescription. The First Fill letter is only good for 24 hours after receipt and only for the first prescription(s) following the injury.
Where to Seek Medical Attention:
PSU Employees working in the Pittsburg area:
PSU Employees working in the Kansas City area:
The injured employee will be excused from work without loss of pay or accrued leave in order to obtain medical treatment on the day of the accident or injury. Additionally, the injured employee will also be excused from work without loss of pay or accrued leave to obtain further medical treatment related to the injury. The employee must, however, limit absences from work to the time required to receive medical attention only. The employee may also be required to furnish satisfactory proof of having received medical treatment.
Reporting an Incident:
Employee:
Within 5 days of the accident, the employee must complete a PSU Incident Report and give it to his or her supervisor. The supervisor will sign the PSU Incident Report and give the employee a copy.
The employee must complete the PSU Incident Report even if he or she does not miss work or seek medical treatment! If the employee does not complete the report within 5 days of the incident, he or she could be denied workers compensation benefits. The employee must immediately notify his or her supervisor if the employee misses work or seeks medical treatment at a later date.
Supervisor:
An employee who is injured on the job must complete a PSU Incident Report within 5 days of the accident. If the employee is unable to complete the incident report because of his or her injuries, the supervisor must complete the Incident Report and note that the employee is unable to complete it because of injuries. The supervisor gives the employee a copy of the report and sends a copy to the Safety Committee (c/o Building Trades and Landscape Maintenance). The supervisor keeps the original Incident Report in his or her files.
If an employee seeks medical attention or misses work because of the incident, the supervisor must complete the State of Kansas Employer's Report of Accident 1101A immediately. The form is completed in the State Self Insurance Fund portal. Follow these instructions to access the portal and complete the electronic form: State Self Insurance Fund Portal.
Supervisors may need to contact HRS to obtain some employee data to complete the Employer’s Report of Accident.
Overview of Supervisor Tasks:
If an employee is injured on the job, the employee’s supervisor must perform the following tasks depending on the severity of the injury. The department manager must assign another individual to complete these tasks if the employee’s immediate supervisor is unable to do so.
First Report of Injury:
The First Report of Injury is completed by a phone call to the State Self Insurance Fund:
The phone number is answered 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Callers cannot leave a message on this number. If the caller calls during business hours and the phone is not answered please hang up and try again
When the supervisors calls to complete the First Report of Injury, an adjuster will need the following information:
If the adjuster can determine compensability on the call he or she will authorize treatment and contact the medical provider to schedule an appointment, or let the caller know that the injured worker can go to the Bryant Student Health. The adjuster will call the supervisor back with the date and time of the appointment. If the adjuster can’t determine compensability at that time the adjuster will let the caller know that treatment is not authorized at this time. The injured worker can still get treatment if he or she feels it is necessary. The injured worker will need to proceed with treatment under his or her personal insurance, but will be responsible for any billing if the claim is denied. Again if this is a matter of life or limb please get medical attention immediately and contact SSIF as soon as possible with information.
Note that if an employee seeks medical attention at the Bryant Student Health Center, Health Center staff will contact the supervisor to determine if a First Report of Injury was completed, and the initial determination by the adjuster. The employee will also have to sign a document acknowledging that they will be responsible for Health Center charges and fees if the medical treatment is deemed not compensable by SSIF.
Supervisors may need to contact HRS to obtain some employee data needed to complete the Employer’s Report of Accident.
Contacts
State Self-Insurance Fund
Room 900-N, Landon State Office Building
900 SW Jackson Street
Topeka, KS 66612
(785) 296-2364
(785) 296-6995 – FAX
wc1101a@ks.gov (send additional paperwork or medical notes)
Division of Workers Compensation
Kansas Department of Labor
800 SW Jackson Street, Suite 600
Topeka, Kansas 66612-1227
800-332-0353
Page revision date: 08/02/2018