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Understanding BWC's Transitional WorkGRANT$ Program

The Bureau of Workers' Compensation's Transitional WorkGRANT$ program reimburses private and public employers up to 80 percent of their costs for developing and implementing a transitional work program. The program is funded through the Ohio state insurance fund, and the grant money is paid directly to employers, enabling them to create company-wide transitional work programs and identify transitional-work jobs.

Here is how the program works: The employer chooses a BWC-accredited transitional work developer, who works with the employer to develop a transitional work program, which must include:

• A review of existing safety and health programs;
• Management commitment and employee involvement;
• Development of a program manual and a training plan;
• Job analyses and recommendations for safety-related modifications; and
• Ongoing program evaluation.

The outside transitional work developer receives a flat amount of between $1,000 and $2,400 (depending on the number of employees) from the state to create the transitional work program. The state then reimburses employers for up to 80 percent of the transitional work developer's costs for the job analyses. The employer is responsible for the balance of the job analysis costs. Employers whose grant requests are approved should receive their reimbursement in two to three weeks.

For help in finding a BWC-accredited transitional work developer and to learn how to enroll in the grant program, visit the BWC Web site at http://www.ohiobwc.com/employer/programs/transworkgrant/twghome.asp. Or you can access University Hospitals CompCare's fact sheet on the program.