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Psychotherapy

Injury & Return to Work

A RETURN-TO-WORK PLAN IS A TOOL FOR MANAGERS TO PROACTIVELY HELP ILL OR INJURED EMPLOYEES RETURN TO PRODUCTIVE EMPLOYMENT IN A TIMELY AND SAFE MANNER:

  • A number of employees can safely perform productive and meaningful work while they are recovering.

  • Returning to work is beneficial to the employee and is part of the recovery process.

  • Different situations require different solutions.

The priority is to return the employee to the position he or she held prior to the absence. In this way, the employee can return to his or her routines, workplace and co-workers. If this is not possible, however, other alternatives, in order of desirability, are to return the employee to:

  • A modified job in the same workplace.

  • A different job in the same workplace.

  • A similar job in a different workplace; or

  • A different job in a different workplace.

Return-to-work plans are intended to be transitional and have a fixed duration. Permanent actions are defined as accommodation. Return-to-work plans must include the following information: 

  • The employee’s objectives, to be met gradually until he or she achieves the final goal of fully resuming the job tasks performed before the absence, or, alternately, starting the new job if returning to the former position was not possible. The employee’s abilities, functional limitations and restrictions are taken into account and are to be adjusted according to the employee’s progress.

  • The action required to meet these objectives includes the responsibilities of the employee, the manager and all of the co-workers assigned to support the employee.

  • The time frame to meet these objectives, which establish the deadline for measuring the employee’s progress. It is important for the plan to have a start and end date. Time frames and expectations must respect the employee’s abilities, be clearly stated for the duration of the plan and be revised as needed.

  • To the extent possible, absences for medical checkups must meet the return-to-work plan implementation requirements.

  • The return-to-work date and agreed work schedule.

  • If applicable, all action to be taken to mitigate identified barriers, e.g., special equipment, required training; and

  • The signature of the employee and the manager.

Resource: The Fundamentals - Return-to-Work Plan

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