How can I plan for RTW if I don't know what the injured worker can do?
Your claim representative and nurse case manager (if assigned) will be able to project roughly what the restrictions will involve. There also other resources available to help, such as Occupational Disability Guidelines (ODG) and the Medical Disability Advisor (please note, we don't endorse either of these, but they are available). A free, simple, and more accurate resource would be to ask the treating physician! Most injuries do not require total disability for more than a few days so it is not unreasonable for an employer to make an inquiry as to when the injured worker will be released to return to any type of work and what type of work capabilities are likely.
Make sure the injured worker and their physician know that you have modified duty available?
Do not delay in communicating your intentions to bring an injured worker back to work. From an injured worker's perspective, there is a great deal of uncertainty about their physical well-being, their financial stability and their future employment situation. Reducing this uncertainty will help the injured worker focus on the recovery and return to normal activities, including work. Physicians may not see the point in giving an injured worker a release to return to work if there is not modified work available.
Are you unsure what type of work to offer? There are several ways to identify meaningful, productive work.
We've all heard the stories of employers who bring injured workers back to count paperclips, separate nuts and bolts, or count cars in the parking lot. What's the point? How does that help anyone? It damages the employer/employee relationship and makes an employer look unreasonable.
Instead, employers should review the injured worker's job description for less physically demanding tasks that fit within the injured worker's current or future restrictions. Still can't find anything? Look at other job descriptions or departments for work. Before you dismiss this option, consider a few hours of cross training and what it could yield. The benefits of training employees in various departments benefits everyone in the short term (as a modified duty solution) and in the long term. Having skilled employees who are trained in various areas can go a long way to help reduce the time an injured worker is away from work and help your business.
One of the most overlooked options is to ask the injured worker if they have any ideas. Far too often decisions are made without involving the injured worker. After all, they are the one who is going to push them to get better, to return to work, and to recover. What are you doing to make sure your employees want to return to work? Once you've identified return to work options, discuss the job with them and address any concerns up front. Problems don't resolve on their own, they snowball.
If you have questions, find answers!
Rather than putting things off until someone contacts you, handle all workers' compensation issues proactively. If you have questions about the job offer letter, call your claim representative. If you are unsure if the work you’ve identified is suitable, check with the doctor.
There are few things in life that we can safely and confidently place on "auto-pilot." Workers' compensation claims management is not one of them. Put the time in up front and you'll be amazed at the outcomes.
