<Company Logo Image Here>

<Company Name>

Return-to-work program

<Date>

Introduction

<COMPANY NAME> has instituted a return-to-work program to help protect our most valuable asset — our employees. We are committed to keeping productive and dedicated employees who have been injured on the job or off-duty on our team. All light-duty work will be reviewed every 30 days and updated as needed to comply with physician directives and employee capabilities. The program will work by assigning injured workers to light-duty work that is compatible with physical restrictions determined by the employee’s treating physician.

Should any of the terms contained in this policy be contrary to any of the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement or any applicable law, then and to that extent, the collective bargaining agreement and laws will take precedent. Contact human resources (HR) for more information.

Objective

To return injured employees to productive work as soon as possible. Part of that process is setting a goal for the employee’s return. Our supervisors and managers are an integral part of this process.

An employee’s return may not be on a full-time basis but may be on a part-time basis. If an employee returns on a part-time basis, <COMPANY NAME> will pay the employee for the actual time worked and the workers compensation carrier will pay the remaining portion to the employee, up to the allowable maximum of two-thirds.

Examples of light-duty work

These are examples and will need to be customized based on each individual case. Attach a complete listing of light-duty jobs identified with detailed physical job demand documentation. <COMPANY NAME>’s medical provider(s) and/or insurance carrier risk control specialist will assist with identifying examples of light-duty work that are unique to <COMPANY NAME>:

Light package pickup or delivery tasks.

Inventory of supplies, ordering supplies, project planning and assisting with other administrative duties as assigned.

Preparation of training manuals and other training projects for the department.

Breaking down cardboard or other products; label cartons of outbound freight; scan merchandise in the shipping department; sort tags returned from locations; sweep and clean floors, racks and stairs; vacuuming facilities; cleaning trucks, etc.

*Note: The foregoing are examples and not intended to be an exhaustive list of light-duty or modified-duty work to which an employee may be assigned. Light-duty or modified-duty work that is appropriate for an injured employee will be determined on a case-by-case basis and with the restrictions indicated by the employee’s treating physician in mind.

Supervisor expectations and responsibilities:	Promptly provide reasonable information as to where the employee may seek timely medical treatment. Direct the use of CorVel nurse triage program. Report the injury to your insurance carrier within 24 hours of the injury. Provide the insurance carrier with the injured employee’s complete job description within 72 hours of injury if the employee has been unable to return to work in that time. Provide injured employee with fitness for duty certification letter and current description of job duties to be taken on first doctor’s visit. Thoroughly and promptly investigate every reported incident of injury to determine the root cause of the injury in workers compensation cases. Supervise injured employees who are successful in returning with restrictions to ensure the employee adheres to the restrictions set by the physician. Refer the employee to the appropriate claim adjuster at the insurance carrier should they have any questions regarding workers compensation benefits. Upon receipt of written releases to return-to-work from employee’s treating physicians, notify the employee of the availability of light-duty or modified-duty work via telephone and in writing as soon as such work is identified. If the employee is not receptive to return-to-work in the position offered by phone, document the job offer in writing and contact the insurance carrier. If the employee does not follow the physician-recommended treatment plan, contact the claims adjuster immediately. Contact the insurance carrier claim adjuster once the employee has returned to light-duty and again once the employee has returned to full-duty.
Worker expectations and responsibilities:	Report the injury immediately to your supervisor or manager. If you are injured at work, you should seek immediate medical treatment if necessary. Ask your supervisor or manager for the name of the clinic that <COMPANY NAME> has designated <VENDOR> as our occupational health clinic. Ensure completion of the fitness for duty certification letter from treating physician. Directed to use CorVel nurse triage program. <COMPANY NAME>’s insurance carrier will pay for reasonable and necessary medical treatment, provided the treatment is related to a compensable injury. Lost-time benefits are also payable by <COMPANY NAME>’s insurance carrier if you are disabled beyond the waiting period (varies by state) and your claim is determined to be compensable. If you have any issues or problems with the handling of your claim, bring this to your claim adjuster’s attention as soon as possible to resolve the issue. Make yourself available for light-duty or modified-duty work as assigned. Failure to do so may result in a termination of your lost-time benefits. Follow all suggested medical treatment to assist you in your recovery.
Employer’s obligations:	Report the injury to our insurance carrier. Investigate the cause of the injury to determine if any workplace issues need to be addressed. Examples of this would be building or equipment repairs or employee training. The goal of the investigation is to provide a safer workplace and to prevent a similar injury from occurring. Develop corrective actions to be taken and assign to a supervisor or manager. If the physician provides work restrictions, the supervisor will review job availability within the restrictions. Communicate with the injured worker to ensure a timely return to work. Send injured employee completed return-to-work job offer letter. <COMPANY NAME> will comply with all federal and state disability laws and will make reasonable accommodations for disabled workers.