RTW Toolkit: Job Descriptions

Employers can face many difficulties in trying to help an injured employee return to work after a job site injury. Studies show that the longer they’re off work, the more difficult it is for them to return to work.  This not only has an impact on an employer’s premiums and production, but it can also negatively influence the quality of life of the injured employee. That is why early intervention and return to work are crucial elements for improving the outcomes of your Ohio workers’ compensation claims.

In a recent blog post, we provided some return-to-work strategies that work. Now it’s time to start building your own RTW toolkit — and the first step is to develop effective communication and collaboration with your Managed Care Organization (MCO). It is important to communicate early and often with your MCO regarding each specific workplace injury you may have. It’s equally important to collaborate with your MCO even before you have any incidents. Your MCO needs to understand your organization’s philosophy regarding return-to-work options so they can make suggestions on what else can be done to increase your return-to-work success. For example, your MCO may request that you share all your job descriptions with them. A thorough analysis of these descriptions can assist in the creation of effective modified/light duty job offers.

If an injured employee is not able to return to work in their normal capacity, an employer may offer them a modified-duty position. Some employers, based on their industries or specific situations, may struggle to create modified-duty positions for injured workers. Your MCO can assist you with this task, especially if they have your company’s job descriptions. Many times, there are duties from other positions that can be incorporated into a modified-duty role. Your MCO team can discuss the appropriateness of a hybrid approach with the treating physician, ensuring that the tasks within a modified-duty role adhere to all work restrictions and aid in the recovery process. Since accurate job descriptions are a vital piece of the puzzle, they’re essential tools in the development of modified-duty positions.

Working with your MCO experts to develop a modified-duty position will not only help shave lost days from your workers’ compensation experience, it will also help keep your premiums lower. Lost time claims are the most expensive claims for employers — and reducing them or keeping them to a minimum will have a direct positive impact on claims costs.

Your MCO Partner

An MCO partner like Sheakley UniComp can guide you in creating and implementing return-to-work strategies that work. We can also help you understand more about the BWC and its processes. Your MCO serves both the best interests of your company and your employees by keeping your workers’ compensation costs down and returning injured employees to work quickly.

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