An effective return to work program ensures quality medical care, contains workers’ compensation costs and returns injured employees to gainful employment. Employers who do not have an established return to work program are missing the opportunity to control workers’ compensation expenditures and ultimately reduce their insurance rates.

If you do not yet have a formal program, we can assist you in customizing a plan to meet your company’s unique needs. Regardless of whether you have a plan in place already or not, there are several common factors included in an effective return to work program. These questions help you determine if your program has the components of success:

• Is there an established safety committee with members representing all levels of employees with your company?
• Do you have a current safety and health policy in place?
• Have you identified a local occupational medicine clinic and contacted them regarding your return to work program?
• Do you ask injured employees to bring a job description and the return to work policy when they visit a medical provider?
• Have you invited the staff physicians to tour your facilities to learn more about your company and programs?
• Do you have a designated company representative responsible for coordinating return to work efforts?
• Do you have a written policy endorsed by upper management?
• Does your return to work policy stress high-quality medical treatment and a healthy but timely return to gainful employment?
• Have you identified the modified duty positions available?
• Do you have an injury/accident report form to be completed by the employee?
• Do you have supervisor and witness report forms?
• Are all functions of this committee communicated clearly and defined to management and employees?

The main purpose of a return to work program is to bring all injured employees back to gainful employment. In addition, your company will benefit from a lower experience modifier, which will reduce your workers’ compensation costs.

Tap into our loss control expertise! Contact us to evaluate your current return to work program today.