Return to Work Program
If, after a work-related injury or illness, an employee is unable to return to their normal job due to their injury or illness, Greenville University (GU) has developed a Return to Work (RTW) Program designed to allow placement of injured/ill employees, in most instances, on temporary, modified duty jobs provided the employee has been released to return to work but with temporary job restrictions, as supported by medical documentation.
For more information, please contact Human Resources.
Purpose
The purpose of the GU RTW Program is to ensure that employees who are injured or become ill during the course of their work at GU are safely able to return to work in a reasonable amount of time through modified duty work assignments.
Objective The goals of the GU RTW Program are:
• Foster and enhance the physical and psychological recovery process for the injured/ill workers
• Reduce medical, disability and lost time costs
• Minimize the chance of re-injury
• Encourage cooperation between employees and management
• Establish a more stable workforce
• Enhance the injured employee’s sense of confidence and well-being
Scope
This RTW Program has been designed to work in coordination with the Greenville University Accident/Incident Management Program (AIM) and also applies to all departments within GU.
Who is Responsible?
Injured Employee
• Follows all AIM Program steps for the Employee and company rules and practices;
• Maintains contact with Supervisor; providing regular updates on health condition, treatment and medical status, at least weekly;
• Returns to modified duty within medical restrictions (if any) as set by Physician, as part of a rehabilitation program.
Supervisor
• Follows all AIM Program steps for the Supervisor;
• Informs Employees of University work rules and practices;
• Maintains contact with Employee and Workers’ Compensation (WC) Coordinator;
• Works with the Director of Human Resources (HR) to find or develop modified work assignment for Employee, within restrictions;
• Monitors recovery through incoming medical work restrictions and need for modified duty;
• Identifies and offers modified duty assignment.
Action Plan –
What to Do and When
For all work-related accidents/incidents (near misses):
First, see the GU AIM Program instructions, followed by the appropriate path, as follows:
IF:
1. Employee was not injured or did not require medical treatment beyond first aid and does not leave the work site and returns to work right away. Employee completes the Employee Accident/Incident Report form and reviews with Supervisor. No further action required.
2. Employee completes shift but does not report for next shift, see item A.
3. Employee requires off-site treatment, see item B.
A. Employee Does Not Report for Next Scheduled Shift
1. If/when the Employee calls to report their absence; the Supervisor ascertains whether it is due to a job-related injury or illness.
2. If the Employee fails to call, the Supervisor contacts Employee at home as soon as they realize they are a no-show to find out if loss of time is due to an on-the-job injury or illness. If work related, follow the steps for Supervisors outlined in the GU AIM Program for Supervisors, as well as, a disciplinary warning for not following the AIM policy.
3. What next?
a. Employee has sought off-site treatment for job-related injury, turn to item B.
b. Employee has not sought treatment, but is not able to return to work because of job related injury within three calendar days; have Physician evaluation by third day and turn to item B.
B. Employee Requires Off-Site Treatment
1. Before the Employee leaves the work site (except in cases where immediate transport to emergency care is required):
a. Follow steps for Supervisor outlined in the GU AIM Program.
b. Review Modified Duty Responsibilities Form with Employee, having them initial next to each item after discussed.
c. Instruct Employee to return the Medical Representative’s Return to Work Recommendations Form after treatment or, if after hours, on the following day.
2. Employee needs emergency transport and is not able to complete forms.
a. Supervisor follows Emergency Medical Assistance and First Aid procedures in the Crisis Management Plan document (page 74, or can be found on the last tab of this binder).
b. Supervisor accompanies Employee to ER taking along paperwork and has the Employee sign the Post-Accident Drug Testing Consent and Release Form and has the Employee complete the Employee Accident/Incident Report Form and review with Supervisor. Supervisor forwards both forms to the WC Coordinator as soon as he/she returns to campus.
3. What next?
a. Employee is released for work, with no restrictions, turn to item C.
b. Employee is released for work with restrictions, turn to item D.
c. Employee is not released for work or Physician refuses to provide information on medical restrictions, turn to item G.
C. Employee Released for Work, No Restrictions
1. Employee returns to regular work with supporting documentation from Physician.
2. Supervisor checks back with Employee throughout the shift.
3. Supervisor forwards Physician’s documentation to WC Coordinator and reports on their observations of how they are doing.
Modified Duty Work Considerations
Communicate and coordinate modified duty work schedule with WC Coordinator
Possibilities for modified duty assignments:
• Regular job with only some tasks removed because of medical restrictions,
• Tasks that have been put off because “no one has time” to do them, such as inventory supplies, review old files, organize the library, etc.
Modified duty is a temporary assignment:
• Employee must fully understand that this is temporary work, usually as a part of the rehabilitation program, and they will be expected to return to their full job as soon as medically able.
• It should be reviewed regularly by the Supervisor and WC Coordinator for continued appropriateness, in cooperation with the Physician.
• Modified Duty should last no more than a few months for any one Employee. (However, it may be advisable to specify a length of time, e.g. short term vs. long term temporary assignment.)
The Director of HR will make a temporary assignment offer to the Employee in writing, either in person or by certified mail.
D. Employee Released For Work with Restrictions
1. Supervisor reviews Medical Representative’s Return to Work Recommendations Form as soon as received. Using medical restrictions listed; attempt to modify current job according to restrictions.
a. If current job cannot be changed, look for tasks within work unit, then section, department or facility.
b. Ask WC Coordinator to contact Physician if there are questions about Employee’s limits or abilities to perform assigned tasks.
c. If there is a question by the Employee or Supervisor, the WC Coordinator will send the suggested modified written job/task description to Physician for approval.
2. Modified duty exists within Employee’s Physician prescribed limits:
a. Supervisor reviews with Employee the individualized Modified Duty Work Schedule. Employee signs that they acknowledge, understand and take responsibility for the limitations placed on them by Physician during the period of temporary modified duty.
b. Employee shall be directed to begin modified duty immediately upon release from Physician.
c. Supervisor forwards copies of the Modified Duty Work Schedule to the WC Coordinator.
3. What next?
a. Modified duty does not exist, turn to item G.
b. Employee returns to modified work, turn to item E.
c. Employee refused or fails to report for work, turn to item F.
E. Employee Returns to Modified Work
1. Supervisor reviews the Modified Duty Work Schedule with the Employee when he/she reports for work. At the end of each shift the Employee logs the hours worked, can add comments and must sign and ask Supervisor to sign. A copy of the completed Modified Duty Work Schedule must be forwarded to the WC Coordinator at the end of each week.
2. As limits are removed by Physician, Supervisor adjusts the job tasks on the Modified Duty Work Schedule.
3. Employee stays on modified duty until released for regular work or the pre-set time frame has lapsed (usually no more than 90 days), as established by the treating Physician.
4. What next? Pre-set time frame lapses and Employee is not released for regular work, restrictions are permanent, turn to item H.
F. Employee Refuses or Fails to Report to Work
1. If Employee has been offered modified duty within the medical restrictions of the Physician and declines to accept such duty, workers’ compensation benefits will be reduced since the Employee has been offered medically suitable employment and the Employee is able to work.
2. If Employee continues to refuse or fails to report for modified work assignment, Supervisor may begin discipline procedures for failing to follow University policies. Document: Employee was informed of “Injured Worker Responsibility”; Employee has been offered a temporary assignment which meets the medical restrictions as identified by the Physician.
G. Employee Not Released for Work; or, Modified Work Not Available; or, Physician Refuses to Provide Information on Medical Restrictions
1. Employee must maintain regular contact with the WC Coordinator. This should be done at least weekly. Contact may be by phone or in person.
2. Supervisor should contact WC Coordinator right away of Physician’s refusal to provide information on medical restrictions for assistance with acquiring this documentation.
3. Employee must provide status reports from Physician. This must be at least weekly, or until limits are declared permanent.
4. What next?
a. Employee fails to maintain contact or provide reports, Supervisor must contact Employee, at least, weekly (also, re-emphasize Injured Employee Responsibilities).
b. Work restrictions are changed and/or modified work becomes available, turn to item D.
c. Employee is released for regular work, turn to item C.
d. Employee is declared to have permanent restrictions, turn to item H.
H. Employee Has Permanent Restrictions
1. Upon release by Physician, Employee must notify the employer within one (1) day that he or she is available to return to work with permanent restrictions.
2. If suitable permanent employment is available, the Director of HR will make an offer to the Employee in writing, either in person or by certified mail.
3. If suitable employment is not available, Employee is placed on injured worker reemployment list. Employee will remain in contact with the Director of HR. Employee must notify employer of any change of mailing address within 10 days.