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Writer's pictureNeville Vania

The Case for Creating a Return to Work Program for Injured Workers

Updated: Aug 25, 2022

What is a Return to Work Program?

A Return to Work Program returns injured employees back to work in temporary jobs. These temporary roles do modified or limited work duties while the employee recovers from their on-the-job injury. So, instead of paying high workers’ compensation related costs and keeping injured employees at home - potentially damaging morale and increasing the chances of costly litigation - a Return to Work Program lets the company save money and gets work done that otherwise wouldn't have been done. It seems like a no brainer right? So why do so many companies resist doing it? It's because paying an employee their regular salary to do less than their regular job doesn't sit well with most employers, but most don't understand they end up paying more through temporary disability payments and expensive litigation that drive up your workers' compensation insurance rates.


Total Temporary Disability (TTD)

When an employee is placed on modified duty from a treating physician following a work injury, the tendency is for employers to state they are unable to accommodate the restrictions. This is usually because they cannot perform in their regular job. Sending an employee home then results in the employee being send home and receiving roughly 2/3s of their pay, while the employer pays the worker's compensation costs related with TTD Payments and higher annual premiums. The TTD payments have a maximum cap of 104 payments/weeks, but that doesn't have to run concurrently. This means that an employee can potentially stay out on TTD for up to 2 years!


Studies show that the likelihood that an employee's chances of permanently returning to work after being out on TTD for only 3 months can drop significantly, but after 6 months the chance of a returning an employee to their job becomes highly unlikely. When an employee doesn't return to work the claim's "tail", the costs that can continue after an injury, can drag on for years and even decades. Those same studies show that employees who return to work sooner, even in temporary light duty positions, tend to return to their regular positions more often and quicker than those who remain off work. Beyond the financial costs, keeping an employee engaged with the workplace and their co-workers has a profound affect on their morale and mental well-being.


Benefits for Your Company

Simply stated - A Return to Work Programs reduce the number of days employees are away from work, allow them to recover more quickly and foster a more positive work environment. Implementing a return to work program can benefit your company financially by:

  • Anticipating and controlling hidden costs

  • Reducing the financial impact of workplace injuries

  • Providing a proactive approach to cost containment

  • Improving your ability to manage an injury claim and any restrictions

  • Getting your experienced employees back to work, resulting in less time and money spent on recruiting and hiring

  • Helping you keep regular contact with injured employees

Your company can benefit from a return to work program in other ways, including:

  • Boosting morale

  • Keeping injured employees productive

  • Discouraging abuse

  • Demonstrating a consistent procedure

  • Establishing solid communication and organization

  • Enhancing injured employees' self-worth


Benefits for Your Employees

Return to work programs don’t just benefit your company—they benefit your employees, too. Implementing a return to work program for injured employees communicates care and concern, and shows your employees that you value their well-being and want them back on the job as soon as possible. They benefit in the following ways:

  • Retaining full earning capacity

  • Maintaining a productive mindset

  • Staying on their regular work schedule

  • Avoiding dependence on a disability system

  • Having a sense of security and stability

  • Seeing management’s commitment to employees’ well-being reinforced


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