Facilitating a Return to Work

Saturday, February 15, 2003 | 0

Getting an injured worker back to work in a modified or alternative position often seems unnecessarily difficult. Arranging a return to work should be a simple, straight-forward process - (1) obtain work restrictions for the QIW employee, (2) determine if the employer has modified or alternative work within those restrictions, (3) agree with the employer on a return to work date, (4) provide the injured worker with the appropriate Notice, RU-94, and description of job duties, and (5) file your RU-105. So why do so many modified/alternative return to work situations fail within the first few hours or days?

There are a number of reasons for these failures but two very common ones can be controlled by the claims examiner, rehabilitation coordinator, or QRR involved in setting up the return to work opportunity. The problems and their solutions are obvious but, in the rush to manage our cases, they are often overlooked.

The first problem is miscommunication. We are familiar with work restrictions and the related jargon but employers are not. It is very important for the employer (particularly the direct supervisor) to understand that the employee must not be asked to exceed his/her work restrictions and for the employee to understand and accept responsibility for discussing questionable task assignments with the supervisor. In addition to work restriction and task assignment issues, there may also be language barriers and training issues, particularly when the employee is being assigned to an alternate position. Unless the employer has a track record for successfully integrating injured employees into modified and alternative positions, the claims examiner might consider utilizing a QRR to meet with the employer and employee to address these issues and facilitate the return to work. An on-site meeting with a knowledgeable QRR provides an opportunity for both the employer and employee to understand their respective roles and responsibilities. The QRR can also provide the claims examiner with immediate feedback regarding the probable success of the return to work effort.

The second issue is the initial work schedule. Do you remember how difficult the first couple of days at work are after a two-week vacation? Getting back into "the swing of things" can be difficult after just a brief absence - imagine what it must be like after being off work for a year or more. We tend to schedule the return to work for a Monday morning - it seems logical because that is the beginning of the work week in most occupations. But facing 40 hours of work after a long absence may seem overwhelming after an extended absence; it is therefore advisable to have the worker return to work on a Wednesday or Thursday. The first week back is short and thus a little less taxing. In some cases, it may be advisable to have the worker return on a part time basis for the first 2-3 weeks (e.g., 4 hours per day the first week, 6 hours per day the second week, and full time the third week). It may cost a little extra in wage-loss payments but a successful return to work in a modified/alternate position is substantially cheaper than full VR services.

Contributed by vocational rehabilitation expert Allan Leno, Leno & Associates, (818) 370-8859 allanleno@leno-assoc.com.