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Early Return to Work

Early Return to Work. Remain at Work Services Transitional Work Vocational Rehabilitation. Question…. Which type of injury is most costly to an employer? A severe traumatic injury to an employee involving multiple fractures; or,

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Early Return to Work

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  1. Early Return to Work • Remain at Work Services • Transitional Work • Vocational Rehabilitation

  2. Question….. Which type of injury is most costly to an employer? • A severe traumatic injury to an employee involving multiple fractures; or, • A mild injury to an employee diagnosed as a low back sprain/strain.

  3. The Importance of Early Return to Work “…medical care costs correlate not with the severity of diagnosis, as might be predicted, but the length of time workers remain out on disability.” Disability Management Akabas, Galvin and Gates The American Management Association

  4. Indirect Cost Of Lost Time Is Four Times the Direct Cost Direct Cost Indirect Cost vs.

  5. Direct vs.Indirect Costs • Medical costs • Compensation costs (insured costs) • BWC claim reserves • Hiring replacements • Training replacements • Overtime (lost work) • Legal expenses • Product/tool damage • Production delays • Loss of business (customer good will)

  6. Cost Impact of Early Return to Work Reduce payment of lost-time compensation • Direct impact on reserves • Indirect impact on premiums • Helps improve your safety and financial goals • Benefits employer and employee

  7. Reduces costs Reinforces management’s commitment to employee welfare Improves morale/company loyalty Maintains quality/production Enhances ADA compliance Increases safety and prevents future injuries (i.e. ergonomic improvements) Benefits Of Early Return to Work Programs

  8. Benefits to the Injured Worker • Recovers more quickly • Experiences a smoother transition back to regular duty • Receives a full, regular paycheck • Jobs skills stay current • Maintains work relationships • Problems related to inactivity decrease

  9. Remain at Work

  10. Services to injured workers with Medical Only Claims to prevent Lost Time Goal of Remain at Work

  11. Injured Worker has a Medical Only Claim. Injured Worker is experiencing difficulty at work due to the allowed condition. The employer, injured worker or physician has identified the difficulty. Eligibility

  12. Transitional Work

  13. What is Transitional Work? • Work-site program for workers with physical restrictions • Focus on progressing the worker to a specific job • Program is time limited and individualized

  14. Transitional Work Program • May include progressive conditioning, on-site work activities, and education for safe work practices. • May include job modification or alternative work assignments.

  15. Light duty is opened ended No therapeutic goals defined Transitional work has a starting and ending date Offers work hardening or other therapeutic benefits Light Duty Transitional Work

  16. Responsibilities of employer or employee are not outlined No alternative plan if light duty fails Responsibilities are clearly defined in writing Alternative plan will be developed Transitional Work Light Duty

  17. Buy-in by top management Labor/employee involvement Commitment for openness Confidentiality Policy that is logical and fair Philosophy needed

  18. Transitional Work Program Basic Elements • Corporate analysis • Labor/employee involvement • Policy / Procedure • Functional job analyses • Program evaluation mechanism

  19. BWC’s Transitional Work Employer Grant Programs • Transitional WorkGRANT$for employers with 50 or more employees • Transitional WorkGRANT$ EZ for employers with 1-49 employees

  20. Information on BWC’s Transitional Work Grant Programs • www.ohiobwc.com >Ohio employers >Transitional WorkGRANT$

  21. Vocational Rehabilitation

  22. Vocational Rehab Eligibility • Lost time claim • Continued physical restrictions • IW is not working and on compensation on date of referral such as TT, NWWL, PTD, Salary continuation in lieu of TT

  23. Vocational Rehab Eligibility-cont’d • IW at MMI or received a PPI award and not on comp (lost time claim, continued physical restrictions) • Job Retention-IW is working but has a previous lost time claim, continued problems related to allowed condition(s) of claim documented by POR and employer

  24. The Return to Work Hierarchy (OAC 4123-18-05) Injured workers return to work as follows: • Same job, same employer • Different job, same employer • Same job, different employer • Different job, different employer • Skill enhancement, short-term training may help at any step in return to work.

  25. What strategies do we use at each step of the hierarchy? • If returning to same job, same employer? • If returning to a different job, same employer? • If returning to same job, different employer? • If returning to a different job, different employer?

  26. Questions about early return to work and remain at work programs?

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