A new government study shows that employers and employeesunderreport workplace injuries and illnesses.

The report released by the Government Accountability Officeis the culmination of a yearlong federal program that examines how employerskeep records of workers injured on the job. The GAO found that employees tendto underreport injuries and illness for fear of losing their job or being disciplined.The report shows that 67 percent of occupational health practitioners said theyobserved workers who feared disciplinary action for reporting an injury. 46percent agreed that this fear was a factor in the underreporting of injuries.

The report also cited employer safety incentive programs canalso lead employees to underreport injuries. These incentives offer bonuses toworkers for creating safe work sites.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a North CarolinaWorkplace, please contact a Raleigh Workers’ Compensation lawyer of Scudder& Hedrick, PLLC, by calling 919-851-3311.