Workers' Compensation Manager

At Baker Electric we are energized by truly living our values - Team Builders, Relentless Follow Through, All-In, and Care for Others. When our team members work together with these things in mind, we do great things both individually and as an organization. Being an employee-owned company shows our drive for sustainable, long-term growth while enhancing the lives of our team members.


SUMMARY: The Workers' Compensation Manager leads the company's workers' compensation, auto liability, and incident claim management process from intake through resolution. This role partners with operations, safety, human resources, legal counsel, insurance carriers, brokers, third-party administrators, medical providers, and project leadership to ensure timely reporting, effective investigation, regulatory compliance, cost control, and successful return-to-work outcomes. The role also supports broader safety, risk, claims analytics, program management, and continuous improvement initiatives that advance department and company objectives.


ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONBILTIIES:

Claims & Incident Management

• Manage workers' compensation, auto, general liability, property, and other assigned claims from initial notice through closure.
• Serve as the primary internal point of contact and subject matter resource for claim intake, documentation, investigation, reserves, litigation strategy, settlement recommendations, and claim closure, using established company processes to guide decisions.
• Ensure claims are reported timely to the appropriate carrier, broker, TPA, internal stakeholders, and regulatory agencies, as applicable.
• Partner with field leadership to obtain complete incident facts, witness statements, photos, root-cause details, corrective actions, and documentation to support accurate claim handling.
• Coordinate claim reviews with adjusters, brokers, defense counsel, and company leadership; challenge reserves and action plans when claim facts or strategy warrant review.
• Monitor claim status, compensability, medical-only versus indemnity exposure, subrogation opportunities, litigation activity, settlement posture, and closure opportunities while anticipating routine claim needs and next steps.
• Maintain clear, accurate, and confidential claim files, communication logs, and supporting records.

Return-to-Work & Injury Management

• Lead Early Return-to-Work (RTW) and modified-duty coordination in partnership with Operations, HR, medical providers, and supervisors.
• Obtain and evaluate work status reports, restrictions, job descriptions, and essential-function requirements to support timely and compliant work accommodations decisions.
• Monitor lost-time claims, modified duty duration, treatment progression, and barriers to resolution to reduce claim severity and improve employee outcomes.
• Escalate complex cases involving extended disability, litigation risk, employment overlap, accommodation complexity, or potential fraud indicators to the appropriate internal stakeholders with timely communication and appropriate judgment.

Risk Management & Insurance Program Support

• Analyze loss runs, claim trends, root causes, severity drivers, open reserves, and total incurred costs to identify risk reduction opportunities.
• Prepare recurring claims, safety, and risk dashboards for leadership, including lagging indicators, cost trends, claim frequency, severity, open/closed claim status, and return-to-work performance.
• Identify opportunities to improve claim handling, deductible/SIR management, reserve accuracy, and vendor performance.

OSHA Recordkeeping & Regulatory Reporting

• Manage OSHA recordability determinations in coordination with Safety leadership and maintain required OSHA Injury and Illness records, including OSHA 300, 300A, and 301 records or equivalent systems.
• Ensure timely reporting of work-related fatalities, in-patient hospitalizations, amputations, loss of eye, and other reportable events to Federal OSHA and/or State OSHA programs, as applicable.
• Partner with Safety and Operations during OSHA inspections, inquiries, informal conferences, citation response, abatement documentation, and corrective-action tracking, applicable to an incident.
• Monitor regulatory changes and recommend updates to internal recordkeeping, reporting, and incident escalation procedures to support compliance, accurate documentation, and assigned deadlines.

EXPERIENCE, EDUCATION:

Required

• 5+ years of experience managing workers' compensation claims, construction claims, casualty claims, safety/risk management, or a closely related function.
• Working knowledge of workers' compensation claim administration, return-to-work practices, OSHA recordkeeping, incident investigation, and risk management principles.
• Experience partnering with insurance carriers, TPAs, brokers, defense counsel, occupational clinics, and operational leaders.
• Strong analytical ability with experience reviewing loss runs, reserves, claim trends, and key performance indicators.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to brief leadership and influence field operations.
• High discretion and professionalism when handling confidential medical, employment, legal, and claim information.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, experience with claims, safety, HRIS, RMIS, or EHS management platforms preferred.
• Ability to plan and prioritize work to meet claim reporting, regulatory, cost, and operational expectations.
• Ability to respond reliably to internal and external stakeholder needs while maintaining confidentiality and professional judgment.

Preferred

• Construction, electrical, specialty contractor, or self-perform field operations experience.
• California workers' compensation and Cal/OSHA experience.
• Experience with OCIP/CCIP, subcontractor claims coordination, contractual risk transfer, fleet/auto claims, and general liability claims.
• Experience developing executive dashboards, claims analytics, KPI reporting, and trend analysis to support risk management and operational decision-making.
• Involvement with program management and cross-functional process improvement initiatives, including working closely with Learning & Development.
• Professional credentials such as ARM, AIC, WCCP, or equivalent safety/risk/claims designation.

At Baker, we are proud to be an employee-owned company. When you join, you will have the opportunity for a great career and the financial benefits of being an owner. Through our ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan), eligible employees can become part owners of the company. Instead of just receiving a paycheck, you will be given shares of the company's stock over time. As the company prospers, the value of these shares can increase, providing you with a potential wealth-building opportunity in addition to a competitive compensation package. The ESOP will enable you to share the company's success and growth. For more information regarding employee ownership at Baker Electric and its significant potential, click here:

Employee Stock Ownership Program | Baker Electric (baker-electric.com)


PAY TRANSPARENCY:
The starting salary for this opportunity range is listed. Other rewards may include annual bonus eligibility based on company and individual performance, short- and long-term incentives, and program-specific awards. Baker provides a variety of benefits to employees, including health insurance coverage, an employee wellness program, life and disability insurance, a retirement savings plan, an Employee-Owned Program (ESOP), paid holidays, and paid time off (PTO). A candidate's salary history will not be used in compensation decisions. Please note that the compensation information is a good-faith estimate for this position. It assumes a rate based on location and experience.


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

Baker Electric is an Equal Opportunity-Affirmative Action Employer / Disability / Veteran.


We thank all applicants in advance for their interest in this position; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. If you are selected for an interview, a Baker Recruiter will contact you directly from our organization with a @baker-electric.com email.