Making Return-to-Work Policy Successful Using Transitional Duties

Thursday, August 6, 2009 | 0

By Rebecca Shafer


The No. 1 goal of any injury management policy is to return injured employees to work just as soon as they are medically able; ideally in their original state of health to their regular duty job.  There is a difference between "medically necessary" and "medically unnecessary."

Coordinating organized  systems to reach the goal saves the company money.  However, focus should also be on preventing and carefully managing injuries.

First, adopt  a corporate-wide injury management transitional duty policy describing your company will implement transitional duty in the workplace. Include in the policy:

1. Length of transitional duty assignments.
2. Circumstances under which employees will perform transitional duty.  (For example, TD is tied to continued employment.)
3. Types of transitional duty offered.
4. Circumstances under which employees will be returned to regular work.

1. Present  the cost-savings benefits of returning employees to work in transitional duty to build and maintain management commitment.
2. Invite a member of management to join the injury management team.
3. Work with senior management and middle managers to implement a dollar-for-dollar charge-back system to the units where losses occur. (workersxzcompxzkit)
4. Design work-arounds to facilitate a timely return to work.