All About Return To Work Program

Return to work program or RTW is a component of the Worker Compensation Management Program. The main goal of RTW is to make sure that the injured worker comes back to work as soon as possible. It also aims to avoid any discrimination against the capacity of the workers to carry on with their jobs.

There are two alternatives that have to be considered to speed up the process of giving the employee back the job. One of which includes, The Modified Work Program; this means employees return to their original jobs but restrictions are placed by a physician. These restrictions may include reducing workload, and restricting activities like bending and lifting. This is also known as Light Duty.

Temporary Alternate Work on the other hand, means employees return to work, but since the original job cannot be modified, they will be given another job that could conform with the physician’s restrictions. These alternatives aim to help get rid of employees’ feelings of inadequacy. This also boosts their morale to work hard despite any injury they’ve sustained during previous working experiences.

The benefits of the workers compensation return to work program include allowing the employee to continue working and providing productivity to the company, maintaining communication between injured employees and management, and avoiding malingering or faking secondary symptoms of either mental or physical disability for secondary gain purposes.

Through the return to work program, the workers comp claims management also gets the chance to boost the morale of the employees and fulfill the ethical and legal responsibilities that are due to all employees. This program also helps minimize potential injuries and permanent disabilities brought about by previous incidents.

The workers compensation return to work program gives workers several benefits like job site rehabilitation which actually speeds up the recovery of the injured employee. A controlled environment provided by the program also minimizes the risk of re-injury. It also maintains contacts at the workplace which provides positive influence on peers during recuperation. There are also transitional work goals that are observed during the program. This includes keeping injured employees within their own departments to help maintain connection, and being creative with the transitional duties.