Pre & Post Offer Employment Testing

POST-OFFER TESTING

COLLECTING OBJECTIVE INFORMATION
Only 40% of all back injury costs to businesses are related to medical expenses. The other 60% go to disability settlements, legal payments, and administrative costs. It is not surprising that many companies now require post-offer testing to detect employees who have pre-existing conditions and/or are unable to perform relevant job specific activities. A physical therapy post-offer test involves taking the applicant's history, looking at his/her posture, and observing test movements to evaluate flexibility and strength. The applicant is furthermore assessed for neurological signs, has palpation to determine specific musculoskeletal abnormalities, and has a functional evaluation involving lifting, job specific testing, and back dynamometer tests to compare that individual's results to normal individuals of his/her age and weight. In addition, when necessary WorkSTEPS utilizes high tech, isokinetic computerized testing equipment to help discern the applicant's strength, range of motion, and endurance. With post-offer testings of this nature, it is possible to collect over 30 pieces of objective information related to the applicant's status prior to his employment.

QUANTIFIES LEGITIMATE INJURY - DISQUALIFIES FRAUDULENT INJURY
If an applicant is hired and through the course of his employment suffers any type of injury, the post-offer information is used to compare the employee's current status with his/her initial status. This alleviates speculation regarding pre-existing conditions and comparisons to other persons of his age and weight. Furthermore, since consistency of pre- and post-injury is easily monitored, the ability to detect faking an injury and reduce workers' compensation liability/expense is greatly enhanced. This has proven beneficial in reducing the dollar amount of court settlements to what is truly warranted as a deficit based on the injury that the individual suffered.

DISCLOSURE REGARDING EEOC and ADA REQUIREMENTS
Post-offer testing may be used to exclude employees not capable of performing job tasks as long as the test is not discriminatory, is job specific, and is properly validated. WorkSTEPS testing does include a medical history to ensure safety and proper medical knowledge of the applicant or employee prior to and during testing. In order to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, this information will not be used to determine job capability.

COST AND SAVINGS
Post-offer/post employment testing can be very brief or extremely comprehensive, and charges are therefore commensurate with the amount of information accumulated. The comprehensive WorkSTEPS test includes objective measurements, musculoskeletal examination and computerized testing. WorkSTEPS is able to offer this test at a significantly reduced rate because of the unique packaging of the test, the volume of tests performed, and the sophistication of the software associated with the database. The cost to implement such a program is negated with the prevention of one carpal tunnel injury.

DUAL EFFORT
WorkSTEPS is proud to play such a vital role in the simultaneous well being of the healthcare and industrial communities. Several companies have literally stayed in business by implementing our injury prevention programs and not one company has experienced unsatisfactory results. With the employer and the healthcare provider working together to control costs, success is inevitable.