Have a RTW program? Think your employees know about it? Think again!

Why put all of the time, energy, effort and resources into developing a RTW program, if no one knows about it?  If your injured workers don't know about it, it probably means no one is telling them about it, let alone utilizing it.

In a study of over 4,000 disability insurance recipients, only 20% of them (or, 800) knew that they had access to a work trial program. Why is this a big deal?  The 800 or so people who knew about the program were 2 times more likely to return to work.¹

If you offer RTW, make sure EVERYONE knows about it.  Make it ridiculously clear.  From the top to the bottom and anyone who is responsible for treating your injured workers, regardless if they are on a physician panel or not, be sure that they know you have modified duty.  As you may have read, one of the number one reasons physicians don't release injured workers is because the injured worker tells their doctor that their employer doesn't have modified duty. 

This brings me to another point -- Doctors should be commenting on ability to RTW regardless of whether work is available or not -- if the injured worker shouldn't lift more than 20 lbs., they shouldn't be hoisting a 30 lbs. toddler or a 30 lbs. bucket of cement.  Restrictions aren't just for work!

Communicate your RTW policy to employees at hire, at time of injury, and at the time of annual benefit renewals. 

Why is this so important?
Having a modified duty program sends the message to employees that their employer is going to help them recover – physically, financially, and vocationally if they sustain a work-related injury.  It also sends a message to an employee that getting injured does not mean that they are going to be out of work.  While the overwhelming majority of work injuries are legitimate, having a modified duty program will take any motivation to file an illegitimate claim off the table.

How can I communicate our RTW program?
As previously mentioned, explain it in conjunction with your company’s annual benefit renewal process, include it in the company newsletter, send out a company-wide email or flyer, post it along with your other mandatory postings, discuss it at employee meetings. 

Make sure that you are using it!
Unless a RTW program is consistently used, it will be worth little more than the paper it is written on.  Some of the best RTW programs we’ve seen aren’t formal, shiny programs, they are a strong commitment from the employer to do whatever it takes to bring someone back to modified duty when medically appropriate.  It’s like a gym membership, you can say you have one, but it’s usually fairly obvious those who utilize it and those who fail to take advantage of the opportunity.

References:

1.       Krause, N., Dasinger, L. K., & Neuhauser, F. (1998). Modified work and return to work:  a review of the literature. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, 8(2), 113-139.