There are a variety of ways that to have an injured employee return to work as soon as possible. Just because an injured employee is not able to perform all their previous job duties does not mean that they should remain off work. Most employees want to come back to work as soon. You should customize transitional duty tasks and job schedules so that they can be restructured easily to accommodate increased ability as the injured worker recuperates. The key is thinking creatively to see how you can get them back within their restrictions as quickly as possible.
Transitional Duty Calculator
Our free return-to-work calculator shows how much you can save by bringing an injured employee sooner. This calculates the amount a particular lost time claim costs your company and shows how much you will save by having a transitional duty program. To find out how much transitional duty will save your company try the free Transitional Duty Calculator at:
http://www.reduceyourworkerscomp.com/transitional-duty-cost-calculator.php
There are a variety of transitional work programs to allow injured employees to return to work:
Modified or Transitional Duty
One type of transitional work program is the modified or transitional duty position. This where the employee’s original job is modified to accommodate the employee’s medical needs. These are also called reasonable accommodations, such as when a disabled employee needs a job modified to be hired. Reasonable accommodations are not just good employment practices; they are also federal law under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Reasonable accommodations can be made through engineering alterations of the workstation, such as making a desk fit a wheelchair. They can also be modifications of employment policies or practices, such as allowing an employee to work from home or take longer lunch breaks to rest or attend physical therapy.
Alternate or Light Duty Programs
Alternate or lighter duty programs allow employees to work at less demanding jobs until they are physically able to resume their original work duties. For example, an employee who does physically demanding labor could work in a more sedentary capacity, such as answering telephones or taking inventory.
Develop a transitional duty job bank for employees who cannot return to their original job immediately after an injury. Ask supervisors and employees for suggestions by having them create a “wish list” of things they would like to have done but have not had time to do.
Work Hardening
Work hardening is where employees perform job-related tasks in increasingly difficulty until they regain the physical ability to perform the entire original job. There may be off-site work-hardening programs which may be an alternative if transitional duty cannot be accommodated at the work site. Work hardening programs should be customized to address the physical needs of the employee including both vocational and functional needs. The program should ask the employer to obtain a precise job description for the employee. This will allow the work hardening program to be tailored to the employer’s needs and the employee’s capabilities.
Considerations in creating a customized work hardening program include:
• Simulating the work that is performed on the job
• Increasing the employee’s endurance and strength
• The type of needed equipment such as weights, treadmills or circuit training
• Measuring the employee’s improvement
• Educating the worker on body mechanics, work posture, pain management, proper lifting techniques, safety and how to prevent injury or re-injury
• Daily recording of progress made and the goals for the short term
Transitional work programs can come in many forms. Having a plan and a program in place is one of the fundamentals of controlling your workers compensation costs.
Author Michael B. Stack, CPA, Director of Operations, Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. is an expert in employer communication systems and part of the Amaxx team helping companies reduce their workers compensation costs by 20% to 50%. He is a writer, speaker, and website publisher. www.reduceyourworkerscomp.com. Contact: mstack@reduceyourworkerscomp.com.
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