RETURN TO WORK RETURN TO WORK WILL SAVE MONEYWILL SAVE MONEY

AND IT’S THE RIGHT THING AND IT’S THE RIGHT THING TO DO FOR THE TO DO FOR THE

EMPLOYEESEMPLOYEES

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7 REASONS FOR 7 REASONS FOR IMPLEMENTING A RTW IMPLEMENTING A RTW

PROGRAMPROGRAM1.1. RTW ENSURES THAT DISABILITY COSTS RTW ENSURES THAT DISABILITY COSTS

STAY UNDER CONTROLSTAY UNDER CONTROLHow? By being proactive rather than How? By being proactive rather than reactive provides a buffer to escalating lost reactive provides a buffer to escalating lost work time costs. A single disability can work time costs. A single disability can turn into a six figure financial loss for an turn into a six figure financial loss for an employer based on Direct (i.e., Workers’ employer based on Direct (i.e., Workers’ Compensation) and Indirect (i.e., Compensation) and Indirect (i.e., decreased productivity, deterioration in decreased productivity, deterioration in morale, retraining/new hire expenses).morale, retraining/new hire expenses).Statistically, 9% of the Gross Payroll is Statistically, 9% of the Gross Payroll is spent on Disability Related Costs.spent on Disability Related Costs.

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2. You Can’t Afford Not To 2. You Can’t Afford Not To Implement A RTW ProgramImplement A RTW Program• By having injured/ill employees By having injured/ill employees

performing modified work, the existing performing modified work, the existing workforce would be more efficiently workforce would be more efficiently managed resulting in increased managed resulting in increased productivity – no waste of time and productivity – no waste of time and resources.resources.

• A Strong RTW Program = Financial A Strong RTW Program = Financial Savings, and will ultimately make Savings, and will ultimately make money rather than cost money by money rather than cost money by minimizing Workers’ Compensation minimizing Workers’ Compensation and Disability costs.and Disability costs.

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3.3. A Good RTW Program Is A Good RTW Program Is One Of The Most Cost One Of The Most Cost Effective Investments A Effective Investments A Business Can MakeBusiness Can Make

• Returning injured/ill employees to work as Returning injured/ill employees to work as soon as possible dramatically reduces soon as possible dramatically reduces temporary disability and medical expenses temporary disability and medical expenses because active employees recover faster and because active employees recover faster and tend not to utilize medical services as tend not to utilize medical services as frequently.frequently.

• RTW documents compliance with ADA RTW documents compliance with ADA regulations and documents the County’s regulations and documents the County’s commitment to returning injured/ill employees commitment to returning injured/ill employees to work, thus, reducing litigation costs in the to work, thus, reducing litigation costs in the long run and human costs in the short run.long run and human costs in the short run.

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4. We Are In The Business 4. We Are In The Business of Providing Services Not In of Providing Services Not In The Business of Paying The Business of Paying Employees To Be AbsentEmployees To Be Absent• When employees are absent from work, When employees are absent from work,

productivity is negatively impacted.productivity is negatively impacted.• Remaining at home encourages Remaining at home encourages

employees to be inactive both physically employees to be inactive both physically and psychologically. Psychological and psychologically. Psychological problems, loss of skills and physical problems, loss of skills and physical conditioning is minimized by an effective conditioning is minimized by an effective RTW Program.RTW Program.

• RTW provides the employee with the RTW provides the employee with the physical conditioning necessary to a full physical conditioning necessary to a full recovery.recovery.

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5. RTW Program Gives 5. RTW Program Gives Managers And Supervisors Managers And Supervisors More ControlMore Control

• Since transitional duty assignments are only Since transitional duty assignments are only temporary assignments, management can alter the temporary assignments, management can alter the time frames.time frames.

• Since a physician must approve every work Since a physician must approve every work restriction, there is little room for abuse as RTW can restriction, there is little room for abuse as RTW can build a strong working relationship between the build a strong working relationship between the employer and physician.employer and physician.

• Physicians will cooperate with a system that carefully Physicians will cooperate with a system that carefully documents transitional duty and offers appropriate documents transitional duty and offers appropriate choices to the patient.choices to the patient.

• A disabled employee attempting to “work the system” A disabled employee attempting to “work the system” may resent RTW efforts, however, the majority of may resent RTW efforts, however, the majority of employees want to be productive members of society employees want to be productive members of society and will appreciate their managers and supervisors and will appreciate their managers and supervisors efforts, and look forward to being employed in a efforts, and look forward to being employed in a temporary modified position.temporary modified position.

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6. Unions Recognize The 6. Unions Recognize The Psychological And Psychological And Physiological Benefits of Physiological Benefits of RTWRTW

• RTW does not assign employees to a RTW does not assign employees to a job – they are assigned to a task.job – they are assigned to a task.

• Unions are receptive because full Unions are receptive because full employment of their membership is employment of their membership is their primary goal.their primary goal.

• RTW does not change employees job RTW does not change employees job classifications or rate of pay.classifications or rate of pay.

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7. RTW CAN ACCOMPLISH 7. RTW CAN ACCOMPLISH PROJECTS THAT YOU PROJECTS THAT YOU NEVER HAVE TIME TO NEVER HAVE TIME TO PERFORMPERFORM• RTW coordinates efforts in a RTW coordinates efforts in a

centralized function and uses all centralized function and uses all available resources, including Risk available resources, including Risk Management Safety Personnel.Management Safety Personnel.

• Transitional Duty frees up time to Transitional Duty frees up time to devote to more important activities devote to more important activities (i.e., incomplete projects or “wish (i.e., incomplete projects or “wish lists”).lists”).

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WHAT’S NEXT?WHAT’S NEXT?• Begin to implement our Return to Work Program through the Begin to implement our Return to Work Program through the

collaborative efforts of County Agencies/Departments for collaborative efforts of County Agencies/Departments for injured/ill employees when medically feasible for both injured/ill employees when medically feasible for both Occupational and Non-Occupational incidences.Occupational and Non-Occupational incidences.

• Begin early intervention with employees to lessen the Begin early intervention with employees to lessen the financial and emotional impact of their injury or illness and financial and emotional impact of their injury or illness and safely return them to work.safely return them to work.

• Develop job data base/analysis for transitional assignments Develop job data base/analysis for transitional assignments • Adhere to “90 Day Rule”, temporary assignments are Adhere to “90 Day Rule”, temporary assignments are

reevaluated every 30 days within a 90 day period which may reevaluated every 30 days within a 90 day period which may be extended based on medical necessity, and approved by be extended based on medical necessity, and approved by Agency/Department Human Resources Manager and County Agency/Department Human Resources Manager and County Return To Work Manager.Return To Work Manager.

• Establish the Return To Work Committee as an advisory Establish the Return To Work Committee as an advisory group, chaired by the County Return to Work Manager, to group, chaired by the County Return to Work Manager, to address means to improve unnecessary employee absences in address means to improve unnecessary employee absences in order to minimize the number of days lost to injury or illness.order to minimize the number of days lost to injury or illness.

• Educate employees on the County’s Return to Work Program.Educate employees on the County’s Return to Work Program.

INTEGRATED DISABILITY INTEGRATED DISABILITY MANAGEMENT ENSURES AN MANAGEMENT ENSURES AN EFFECTIVE RTW PROGRAMEFFECTIVE RTW PROGRAM

RTW/TRANSITIONAL DUTY PROGRM

Injured But Satisfied/Happy Employee

Occupational/Non-Occupational Recovery (i.e., Treating Physicians and, Medical Treatment Facilities)

Lost Time Cost Finance / Administration Payroll Agency/Department

HR Offices, Risk Management, ADA, HIPAA, EEO, Employee Health, EAP

RTW Benefits Recovery -WC, Health Care, & Wellness, LTD, Leave/Disability, FMLA, Life Insurance, Retirement

Safety Manager & Ergonomics

Supervisors

Executive Management &

Admin. Managers

RTW Committee

All Stakeholders

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ORANGE COUNTY ORANGE COUNTY RETURN TO WORK RETURN TO WORK

PROGRAMPROGRAM

QUESTIONS ?QUESTIONS ?