Today’s issue of WorkCompRecap features Sedgwick’s release of a new commentary paper on “Long COVID” cases in the workforce that covers its symptoms and prevalence, what employers can do to prepare for the ongoing impact, trends to watch for in the months ahead, along with data and insights from a variety of experts.
Sedgwick noted that workers experiencing long-haul symptoms may have functional impairments that significantly affect productivity and return to work. For example, one study found that 45% of workers with long COVID needed an altered work schedule from the one they worked pre-COVID, and 22% said they could not work at all. With organizations striving to manage workplace productivity and meet the needs of employees, risk management and human resources teams must stay abreast of developments in long COVID and understand their roles in addressing the related challenges, including by keeping an eye on claims, offering job accommodations, and encouraging use of employee benefits.