This story appears in the
December 2002 issue of
Entrepreneur.
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In an ideal world, on-the-job injuries wouldn't happen. But
because we don't live in an ideal world, we have workers'
compensation insurance. A critical component of workers' comp
is a return to work (RTW) program.
"The goal is to return the injured employee to work as
quickly as possible," says Sherri Holcombe, a claims analyst
for Liberty Mutual. When that happens, everybody wins. The employee
is productive and benefits from peer support. The company's
financial and productivity losses are reduced. And finally,
controlling the cost to insurers helps control the cost of
premiums.
If workers aren't totally disabled but can't fully
perform their jobs, they may return to modified work or alternate
work while they recover. Holcombe says getting back on the job even
in a limited capacity helps the healing process.
An effective RTW program isn't complicated, but it requires
some planning. Written job descriptions help physicians and
caseworkers decide what positions disabled workers can hold. You
also need to consider labor union issues, wage differences, and how
long the employee can remain in the alternate position.
Workers' comp carriers have tools and information for
developing an RTW program, and Holcombe recommends putting one in
place before you need it. "The more you're educated, the
better you're able to react in the event of an accident,"
he says. "Do some preliminary work so you're ready to
respond."
Jacquelyn Lynn is a freelance business writer in Orlando,
Florida.
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