Return-to-Work

Return-to-Work and Remain-at-Work Programs Pay Off for Employers

According to a national survey of occupational physicians, about 90 percent of all workplace injuries require no more than three lost workdays for medical reasons. Unfortunately, many injuries - including minor cuts, abrasions, burns, bumps and bruises, and sprains and strains - result in weeks, even months, off the job. But they don't have to - if you take a proactive stance to prevent lost work time and long-term disability.

The Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) is investing heavily in two approaches that help employers control costs, prevent long-term injuries, and get workers back to work faster and more safely. These two approaches, which benefit employers and employees, are:

• Transitional work: Uses real job duties to accommodate injured workers' medical restrictions for a specified time period - generally not exceeding two to three months - to gradually return them to their original job. See Transitional WorkGRANT$ for University Hospitals CompCare's fact sheet about the program.
• Remain-at-work: Injured employees with medical-only claims receive injury treatment and rehabilitation at the workplace, enabling them to remain part of the workplace culture while recovering from an injury. See Remain-at-Work for University CompCare's fact sheet about this initiative.

BWC is investing significant resources in these programs and strongly encourages employers to take advantage of them. University Hospitals CompCare recommends these programs to its clients to help minimize the financial and human impact of employee injuries. You can also check out our general return-to-work fact sheet, University Hospitals CompCare makes a strong case for return-to-work.