title: Unreported workers' compensation claims to the BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses: Establishment factors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Studies suggest employers underreport injuries to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII); less is known about reporting differences by establishment characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  We linked SOII data to Washington State workers' compensation claims data, using unemployment insurance data to improve linking accuracy. We used multivariable regression models to estimate incidence ratios (IR) of unreported workers' compensation claims for establishment characteristics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An estimated 70% of workers' compensation claims were reported in SOII. Claims among state and local government establishments were most likely to be reported. Compared to large manufacturing establishments, unreported claims were most common among small educational services establishments (IR = 2.47, 95%CI: 1.52-4.01) and large construction establishments (IR = 2.05, 95%CI: 1.77-2.37).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Underreporting of workers' compensation claims to SOII varies by establishment characteristics, obscuring true differences in work injury incidence. Findings may differ from previous research due to differences in study methods.
authors.affiliation: Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, Safety and Health Assessment and Research for Prevention (SHARP) Program, Olympia, Washington.
authors.forename: Sara E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Wuellner
authors.affiliation: Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, Safety and Health Assessment and Research for Prevention (SHARP) Program, Olympia, Washington.
authors.forename: Darrin A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.affiliation: Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, Safety and Health Assessment and Research for Prevention (SHARP) Program, Olympia, Washington.
authors.forename: David K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Bonauto
mesh_terms: D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007344:Insurance Claim Reporting / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009111:Local Government; D066192:Manufacturing Industry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D060051:Occupational Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012574:Schools / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013219:State Government; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014489:United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014861:Washington / Q000453:epidemiology; D014942:Workers' Compensation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses; occupational injury surveillance; under-reporting; workers’ compensation data