Many jurisdictions impose duties on employers when it comes to an injured or ill worker’s return-to-work (RTW). For example, the OHS and/or workers’ comp laws may specifically require employers to take certain steps, such as:
- Cooperating with the RTW process;
- Accommodating a returning worker; and
- Reemploying an injured or ill worker when he’s able to rejoin the workplace.
And these laws may also specifically bar employers from doing certain things, most notably firing a worker because he got injured or sick on the job.
As a result, knowing what you can and can’t do when dealing with injured or ill workers and their return to work can be confusing.
For enlightenment on this complex topic, join us on July 15, 2015, for a one-hour webinar in which Kevin MacNeill, Partner, Emond Harnden LLP, will explore some RTW dos and don’ts. Topics covered will include:
- Don’t make RTW decisions based on your disability insurer’s determination as to whether an employee is disabled.
- Do make RTW decisions based on a full appreciation of current medical information.
- Do involve the employee, the employee’s doctor and the union, if any, in the RTW process.
- Don’t make decisions based on unclear medical evidence.
- Do follow up to obtain clarifications required to make an informed RTW decision.
- Do consider all accommodation possibilities.
As always, OHS Insider members can register here for free. All others can attend for just $47.
In the meantime, OHS Insider has information, resources and tools on return to work and accommodations, including:
- How to Comply with RTW Requirements
- Brief Your CEO: How Far Return-to-Work Programs Must Go to ‘Accommodate’ Injured Workers
- The Role of Co-Workers in a Successful RTW Program
- Model Return to Work Plan
- Model Return to Work Closure Report
- Recorded webinar on accommodating returning workers
- Recorded webinar on the Ontario return-to-work rules
- Using Supervisors to Improve the Return-to-Work Process, Part 1
- Supervisors and the Return-to-Work Process, Part 2.
Leave A Comment