Return to Work Safety Program - Alternate
Purpose & Policy
The purpose of this safety policy and
procedure is to establish guidelines and procedures or returning injured
[COMPANY] employees back to work with minimal time lost. Returning employees
to work who have been injured in the performance of their jobs is an
important component of (COMPANY)’s loss control strategies. Benefits of a
return to work program include:
• Faster, more effective healing
• Safer work environment
• Direct and indirect savings in lost wages, medical costs and productivity
• Improved morale by providing support to employees with alternate
assignments during recuperation in order to maintain desirable productivity
levels
• Enhanced cross-training within [COMPANY]
It is the policy of [COMPANY] to provide a place of employment that is
free from recognized hazards that cause or are likely to cause death or
serious physical harm to employees or the public. However when serious
physical harm does occur to employees, [COMPANY] is committed to providing
quality medical care and managing those costs associated with that medical
care. [COMPANY] is also committed to the effective return to work of injured
employees while enhancing their recovery. A return to work program, provides
employees incentive to return to work as quickly as possible.
Responsibilities
It is the responsibility of each
manager/unit head, supervisor, and employee to ensure implementation of [COMPANY]'s
safety policy and procedure regarding Return to Work.
Managers
Managers/Unit Heads will be responsible for:
• Providing resources and support to supervisors in the return to work
process
• Assisting in the employee placement decisions as applicable
• Encouraging proper and ethical practices in all phases of the return to
work process
Supervisors
Supervisors will be responsible for :
• Giving WC packets to injured employees as soon as practical following
the injury
• Completing appropriate forms and documents upon the injury of an
employee
• Pre-determining alternate duty options (transitional work assignments
[Limited or modified duty] and permanent job modifications) for the
positions under their supervisory control
• Providing job descriptions and alternate duty options to the Workers’
Compensation Administrator, Risk Management personnel and preferred
providers to secure employee placements after injuries
• Completing documents and forms upon the return to work of the injured
employee
Employees
Employees shall be responsible for
promptly reporting any injuries to their supervisor and going to the
preferred provider as directed by their supervisor. They will also
cooperate with the Workers’ Compensation Administrator’s staff, preferred
providers and Risk Management personnel in the treatment, recovery and
return to work phases of the process.
Workers’ Compensation Administrator
The Workers’ Compensation Administrator will be responsible for:
• Administration of [COMPANY]’s Return to Work Program
• Coordinating with preferred providers, Risk Management personnel,
[COMPANY] personnel section and supervisors in the placement of employees
into transitional work assignments, permanently modified jobs or new
positions
• Coordinating the program communication aspects by ensuring that timely
mail-outs of program materials are performed within the criteria of this
safety policy and procedure
• Coordinating vocational rehabilitation training for employees who have
received a permanent disability as a result of a job injury
• Maintaining a central list of all [COMPANY] preferred providers
Safety & Loss Control
Safety and Loss Control will provide
prompt assistance to managers/unit heads, supervisors, or others as
necessary on any matter concerning this safety policy and procedure.
Safety and Loss Control will assist in and develop the appropriate
training associated with this document. Also, Safety and Loss Control will
annually compile trends and statistical reports for tracking results of [COMPANY]’s
return to work program. Additionally, Safety and Loss Control’s Risk
Management Personnel will:
• Provide consultative and audit assistance to ensure effective
implementation of this safety policy and procedure
• Assist supervisors in returning employees back to work
• Communicate with preferred providers as needed on relevant aspects on
[COMPANY]’s Return to Work Program
• Coordinate placement decisions between the Workers’ Compensation
Administrator, the preferred providers, division/unit staff and
supervisors
• Meet with injured employees to explain alternate duty position(s)
Human Resources
Human Resources will be responsible
for :
• Assisting the Workers’ Compensation Administrator and the Risk
Management Personnel in placement decisions that require new position
assignments
• Providing consultative services in wage and salary grade equity
issues
• Approving temporary assignments greater than ninety days
Definitions
Alternate Duty: Duties assigned
on either a short term or permanent basis, and medically approved by the
authorized treating healthcare provider, to an injured employee.
Permanent Job Modification: Jobs that are permanently modified for
employees that have permanent restrictions upon return to work following
an injury.
Preferred Provider: A healthcare provider that has entered into an
agreement with [COMPANY] to provide prompt healthcare services to an
[COMPANY] employee injured during the performance of their jobs.
Transitional Work Assignment: Work assignments (duties) that are
short term and that employees with temporary restrictions are given upon
return to work following an injury.
Workers’ Compensation Leave: Period of time that employees are
recuperating from job-related injuries and during which the employee
receive 66.667 % of their regular pay.
Training
The critical link in [COMPANY]’S Return to Work Program is supervisors
accurately understanding their key role in this process. Therefore,
supervisors should receive training that includes specific details on the
Return to
Return to Work Rules
The general rules of [COMPANY]’s Return to Work Program include:
• Every employee should be entered into [COMPANY]’s Return to Work
Program upon medical certification that the employee may return to some
type of work duty.
• Written return to work authorization must be obtained from the
preferred provider.
• Every attempt should be made to modify the employee's current job to
meet restrictions.
• An injured worker should not be placed in a job that pays more than
the regular job.
• An injured worker should not be place in a job that has environmental
advantages over the regular job except for short term modified duty
assignments.
• Injured employees should usually be under the direct supervision of
the supervisor in the area in which he/she is working. However,
supervisors should understand their responsibility and be willing to work
with
Program Communication
[COMPANY]’s Return to Work Program must
be effectively communicated to injured employees, affected supervisors, and
preferred providers. Program communication will be achieved by the training
of supervisors, safety orientation training for employees and the
distribution of program literature.
Tracking Results of the Return to Work Program
Results of [COMPANY]’s return to work
program shall be tracked by annually compiling trends and statistical
reports from annual reports and company data.
Guidelines for Matching Employees to Alternate Duty
1. The supervisor should list all restrictions provided by the
physician.
2. The supervisor should then list all alternate duty jobs and their
wages, including regular jobs with modifications available.
3. The doctor's restrictions should then be matched to the best
possible alternate duty. In the case where there may be a unique
restriction from the physician, check the alternate duty job chosen to
make sure it meets with the restrictions or can be modified to meet the
restriction.
4. Take the identified and available job description(s) that meets
restrictions. Examine the wage
section to ensure that none of the alternate duty jobs pays more than
the original job.
6. Forward the job description(s) to the physician's office and to the
Risk Management personnel. The physician will sign off on all jobs that
are appropriate and make comments as necessary for this particular case.
The physician will forward them back to the supervisor and the Risk
Management personnel.
7. If the physician has identified more than one job as appropriate,
the best alternate duty position should be
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