Association between Occupational Injury and Subsequent Employment Termination among Newly Hired Manufacturing...

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Human Resources Management
• Workplace Safety

Background:

• Longitudinal studies on occupational injury predicting early employment termination are scarce.
• The initial employment period presents a heightened risk for occupational injuries.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate occupational injury as a predictor of employment termination within the first 60 days of hire.
• To analyze the association between early occupational health center visits and subsequent job loss.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 3752 newly hired manufacturing employees was established using HR records.
• HR data was linked with occupational health center (OHC) visit records for injuries.
• Cox regression analysis was employed to assess termination risk after a first OHC visit.

Main Results:

• Employees visiting the OHC within 60 days had a 2.58 times higher risk of termination.
• This increased risk was consistent across different injury types and affected body areas.
• Involuntary terminations were more common than voluntary ones among injured employees.

Conclusions:

• Early occupational injuries are a significant risk factor for subsequent employment termination.
• Implementing robust workplace safety and health management programs may reduce employee turnover.
• Proactive management of workplace hazards is crucial for retaining new hires.