Employer’s Return-to-Work Guide
Financial incentives available from L&I
Contents
1
Return to work: Good for your business,
your employees, your bottom line ..........1
2
Know the options:
How ‘return to work’ works ................ 3
3
Before and after: What you should do
if your employee gets hurt ................. 6
4
How L&I can help you:
Experts, services and dollars ............... 8
5
Know the basics
of workers’ comp claims.................. 10
6
Tools you can use ....................... 12
7
Frequently asked questions
about job modifications .................. 15
Workplace Safety, the Best Insurance
The best way to manage workers’ compensation
costs is to prevent injuries. An effective accident
prevention program will help you identify hazards
in your company that could lead to injuries
—
and
prevent them from happening.
Safety and health professionals, industrial hygienists,
ergonomists and risk management specialists
from the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I),
Division of Occupational Safety and Health, provide
free consultations to employers. Learn more at
www.Lni.wa.gov/SafetyConsultants .
In addition, L&I offers a number of online services
to help employers improve workplace safety.
Learn more at www.Lni.wa.gov/safety-health .
1
11
Return to work: Good for your business,
your employees, your bottom line
Calamity strikes. One of your employees is
injured on the job and faces a lengthy recovery.
You’re concerned about your employee and you’re
concerned about your company
—
not to mention
the cost of your workers’ compensation insurance.
Workers’ comp claims involving time off work
can drive up your rates. However, for the vast
majority of claims, steps taken early can speed the
employee’s recovery and reduce claim costs.
This booklet explains the importance of “return to
work” in assuring the best possible recovery for your
employee with the least impact on your business.
What is ‘return to work’?
Return to work simply means helping your
employee get back to work as soon as possible
after a job-related injury or illness. For example,
he or she could work shorter hours, do different
work temporarily or perform “light duty” until
fully recovered.
Keeping your employee connected with the
workplace is both good medicine and good
business. Research has shown that effective
return-to-work strategies promote a faster
recovery and prevent a downward spiral into
disability. Return-to-work options can take many
forms and there are many resources to assist you.
How you benefit
Providing return-to-work options benets the
injured employee
—
and it reduces the nancial
impact on your workers’ compensation premiums.
Simply put, employers with fewer injuries pay
less. In the landscaping industry, for example,
premiums range from $1.25 per hour to $3.75 per
hour, per employee, depending on the employer’s
claims history and the number of hours reported
in a three-year period. In restaurants and taverns,
that range is 42 cents per hour to $1.26 per hour;
in concrete work, $2.23 per hour to $9.69 per hour.
Less time off work translates into less impact on
the premiums you pay.
In addition to reducing claim costs and insurance
premiums, an effective return-to-work strategy:
Encourages communication between you
and your injured employee
—
a key factor in
his or her recovery.
Allows a skilled and experienced employee
to continue working for you.
Keeps loss of productivity to a minimum.
Reduces the costs of training new employees.
Creates an opportunity to complete work
usually left undone.
May reduce the risk of re-injury.
Protect Your Claim-Free Discount!
Employers qualify for a claim-free discount after
three years without a “compensable” claim (a claim
involving time-loss or a permanent disability award).
The discount saves employers between 10 and
40 percent from the base insurance rate for their
risk class, depending on the company’s size.
A single compensable claim will eliminate the
claim-free discount. Losing the discount may be
more costly than preventing time-loss (through
return-to-work options) or keeping the injured
employee on your payroll.
For more information, contact your account manager
in the Employer Services section of L&I; 360-902-4817.
2
How your employees benefit
Return-to-work options help preserve long-term
earning power:
Keeps the employee active and speeds
medical recovery.
Shifts focus from “dis-ability” to ability.
May reduce the risk of re-injury.
Provides a sense of job security.
Allows the employee to maintain contact
with co-workers.
Shows you value your employee and his/her
contributions to your company.
Ingredients for a successful
Return to Work strategy
A successful return-to-work strategy begins with
commitment from the business owner and/or top
management. Commitment means:
Believe in the benets of return to work
—
for your company and your employees.
Develop a written procedure for returning
injured workers to the workplace. This
information should be part of your new
employee orientation, so all employees know
what to do if an injury occurs.
Designate a return-to-work lead. Ideally, this
person would accompany an injured worker
to the initial doctor’s visit and support him/
her through the return-to-work process.
The Return to Work lead should have the
responsibility and the authority to facilitate
return to work.
Risk management specialists from L&I can help you
set up a return-to-work process and answer your
questions. (See Page 9 for contact information.)
Why is Return to Work Important?
One Company’s Experience
Many factors determine premium costs including
number of employees, types of jobs performed and
the number and costs of claims. One especially
important factor is how long an employee is unable
to work due to his or her injury. A small grocery
store with 11 employees discovered this. In 2009,
the store had a workers’ compensation claim that
involved extensive time off work. That claim caused
the company’s experience factor to increase from
0.9000 in 2011 to 1.1125 in 2012, and increased
annual premiums by $3,168.
Assuming this store operates on a 2 percent profit
margin, the store would need to generate an
additional $158,400 in sales annually, just to “break
even” on the increase. Because the claim impacts
rates for three years, the total sales needed to
offset the increase could exceed $475,000.
Every business’s situation is different, but this
store’s experience illustrates that the decision to
find accommodations and develop effective return-
to-work strategies makes good economic sense.
3
22
Know the options:
How ‘return to work’ works
Successful return to work means you keep a
valuable employee and limit the nancial impact
of his/her claim on your insurance premiums.
Employers and employees who remain in close
communication and work together are best able to
limit time off the job.
You
—
the employer
—
can be the catalyst for
achieving return to work as quickly as possible.
The process you and your employee use may
be very informal, or you may choose a more
documented process, depending on the situation.
The informal process
The process can be informal when return to
work is progressing smoothly. If you and your
employee are functioning as partners in the
process, there is less need to create a paper trail or
involve Labor & Industries. You may want to use
this informal process when:
Good communication exists between you
and your employee.
There is agreement between you and your
employee about his/her ability to perform a
different job.
Your employee is motivated to return to
work, or to keep working, after an injury.
See How It Works (at right) for an example of
how an informal process can lead to a successful
return to work.
Tips for success with an informal process
1. Talk to your employee and determine if
physical restrictions will keep him/her from
performing regular duties.
2. Depending on the answers to “1,” modify your
employee’s job to meet those restrictions.
3. Consider placing your employee in an
alternative job during recovery, if you cannot
modify the regular job.
4. Talk with your employee’s health care provider if
you and/or your employee have any signicant
questions or issues regarding restrictions.
How It Works:
A Return-to-Work Success Story
An electrical contractor with a dedicated safety
program arranged for an injured employee to do a
light-duty job that involved compiling and updating
information on locks and tags. The employee used
the Internet and called local contacts to gather
information and identify new technology. The
company incorporated what he learned into its
lockout/tagout program.
How much documentation do you need?
In some cases, you will want to document your
attempts to return your employee to work. For
example, you may want to be certain the light-
duty work sufciently accommodates physical
restrictions or you are not clear what those
restrictions are. Documentation is useful if your
injured employee is not cooperating with your
efforts to return him or her to work. If these
situations occur, you may choose to do one or
more of the following:
Ask the attending health care provider to
specify work restrictions in writing.
Provide a written description of the
work duties to the attending provider for
comment. (See Page 13.)
Send a letter to your employee specifying the
job title, supervisor, hours, location and start
date for the return to work.
Follow the process described in Section 3,
under After an injury.
Review medical and other claim
information on the Claim & Account Center
(www.Lni.wa.gov/ClaimInfo).
4
Disagreements
What should you do if you and your employee
disagree about the best course of action, or
confusion exists, and you and your employee are
unable to resolve the problem? Contact the L&I
ofce nearest you. We can help you and your
injured employee achieve a safe and timely return
to work. (See Page 8 for additional information.)
Return-to-work options: transitional jobs
A transitional job is a way for your employee to
return to work when restrictions preclude him/
her from performing the job held when the injury
occurred. It allows your employee to work for you
while he/she is still recovering. There are several
types of transitional jobs.
Modified work
Modied work involves an adjustment or
alteration to the way a job is normally performed
in order to accommodate the employee’s physical
restrictions. This can be as simple as changing
the lifting requirements. “Job modication” funds
may be available from L&I to help you purchase
tools, equipment or appliances that allow your
employee to work.
Part-time work
Part-time work is an option when the doctor has
not released your employee for full-time work.
Your employee’s doctor will monitor his/her
progress, authorizing gradual increases in hours
worked and the variety of tasks performed.
How It Works:
A Return-to-Work Success Story
Gradual Return
After falling at work and hurting her lower back, a
housekeeper in a resort spent more than a month on
wage-replacement (time-loss) benefits, then tried to
return to her full-time job and couldn’t. With assistance
from L&I, the employer arranged a part-time job that
involved only supervisory duties. The doctor provided
a medical release for the employee to perform this
work and gradually return to her regular duties. While
working part-time, the employee received “loss of
earning power” benefits
—
a combination of wages and
wage-replacement (time-loss) benefits.
Alternative work
Alternative work is a different job within your
company that meets the physical restrictions your
employee’s health care provider species. It can
be an existing job, or an identied set of job tasks
that you need done that no one has tackled.
How It Works:
A Return-to-Work Success Story
A Different Job
A diesel mechanic injured his wrist when a tire he
was repairing blew apart. In the first phase of his
recovery, this employee could not do any work in the
shop. Because the employer valued his employee’s
knowledge and didn’t want to lose it, he created
a temporary job as a technical advisor to other
mechanics from an office location near the shop.
Later, the employee returned to the shop and was
able to do some of the tasks of his regular job. He
eventually resumed his full duties. Today, the diesel
mechanic uses specially adapted tools to compensate
for loss of strength and motion in the injured wrist.
Useful Terms
Employer of record: The employer for
whom the employee worked at the time he
or she experienced a work-related injury.
Job of injury: The job the employee held
when the injury occurred.
Light-duty work: Temporary or permanent
work that is less vigorous or less physically
taxing than the work the employee
performed before the injury or illness.
“Light-duty work” and “transitional job”
are often used interchangeably; however,
light-duty work can be permanent. A
transitional job is temporary.
5
Return-to-work options: permanent jobs
Sometimes, an injury precludes returning
to exactly the same job. Once the health care
provider determines that your injured employee
has restrictions, you can offer new permanent
employment. Permanent employment may be
alternative work or a modication of the job your
employee held when injured.
How It Works:
A Return-to-Work Success Story
Changes in Job Duties
A lumber-mill worker’s job involved handling varying
sizes and weights of wood products during a sorting
process at the mill. This employee experienced a
musculoskeletal injury to her hand. Careful medical
assessment determined that the injury would likely
flare up again if the employee resumed the same
duties she had previously performed. The employer
created a permanently “modified” job where the
employee handled only the smaller products, allowing
her to keep working and avoid re-injury.
Requirements for offering jobs
Transitional job
The transitional job you offer your injured
employee must be a valid offer. This means:
The job must be with you
—
the employer
of record.
The job should provide a meaningful and
respectful work environment.
The job must be gainful: paying at least the
relevant minimum wage.
You must continue the health and welfare
benets the employee received at the time
he/she was injured unless doing so conicts
with the benet program and collective
bargaining agreement.
Permanent job
A permanent job offer must be “bona de”:
It is reasonably continuous work or matches
the employee’s employment pattern at the
time of injury (full-time versus part-time and
seasonal versus year round).
It is gainful: paying at least the relevant
minimum wage (wage and health care
benets do not need to be identical to those
at the time of injury).
It is meaningful: both inherently valuable to the
employer and not demeaning to the employee.
Useful Terms
Maximum medical improvement: This is the
point where an injured employee’s condition is
not likely to improve significantly with further
medical treatment. Permanent restrictions
may need to be identified at this point.
Accommodation: Modified or alternative work
that allows an injured employee to work within
his/her physical restrictions while injured.
Kept on salary: Some employers choose
to keep an employee on salary for a limited
period of time when the attending health care
provider recommends total work restriction.
This practice can help keep the employer’s
rates down. The wages and medical benefits
paid must be the same as those the employee
received at the time of injury.
6
33
Before and after: What you should do
if your employee gets hurt
Preventing injuries takes dedication and work. It is not
something you can accomplish as an afterthought
—
when there is a lull in production or during a staff
meeting. It takes an ongoing commitment from
you and your employees, with assistance from the
Department of Labor & Industries. Do all you can to
prevent injuries in your company.
Before an injury
Resources to help you build or enhance your
workplace safety program are plentiful. If you
belong to a trade association or Retro group,
check to see what they have to offer. You will nd
information on L&I’s services on Pages 8–9.
Establish a strong safety program.
Write job descriptions for all positions.
Identify light-duty positions and develop
transitional return-to-work opportunities.
Make sure your employees know how
“return to work” benets them.
Be prepared to act quickly, if an injury occurs.
Report any injuries to your return-to-work lead.
After an injury
Submit your portion of the Report of
Accident to L&I.
Contact your injured employee and stay
in contact.
-
Get in touch right away to communicate
your concern about the injury. Let this
person know you will do what you can
to get him or her back to work as soon as
possible. Often, this type of phone call
alone will provide encouragement and
help your injured employee recover faster.
Monitor the claim.
-
Use the online Claim & Account Center
at www.Lni.wa.gov/ClaimInfo to
obtain information about diagnosis,
prognosis and work restrictions. Review
the Activity Prescription Form (APF)
completed by the health care provider.
-
Contact the claim manager for a new
APF if you need updated information
about your worker’s physical capacities.
Contact the attending health care provider
for information about return to work. You
may contact the provider to seek:
-
Review of the job of injury as well as
any other light-duty position available to
your employee.
-
Clarication of restrictions.
Note: Providers can bill L&I for written advice as
well as for telephone calls/consultations regarding
return-to-work issues.
Useful Terms
Restrictions: The health care provider may restrict
an injured employee’s work during recovery.
Restrictions may limit work activities (no lifting,
for example) or temporarily reduce the number of
hours the employee can work.
Transitional job: A transitional job is a temporary job,
other than the employee’s full-duty regular work, that
an employee’s health care provider agrees he/she can
perform during recovery. A transitional job or light-duty
work can continue until the employee’s condition has
reached medical stability or the health care provider
determines that permanent restrictions are required.
7
If you need help communicating with the
provider, contact L&I. (See Page 9.)
Identify job duties the employee could
perform. Create a job description that
describes these duties. A job description is
a one- or two-page document that describes
a proposed light-duty (transitional) job. It
is the basis for communicating with your
employee’s health care provider to determine
physical work restrictions. It should describe:
-
Job duties and tasks the job requires.
-
Tools and equipment required to
perform the job.
-
How often and how long the employee
would do the tasks.
-
Physical demands required to perform
the job.
-
Work hours, location and start date;
identify assigned supervisor.
Ideally, the job description would include an
indication of possible accommodations. See
Page 12 for a sample job description.
Note: An injured employee who has a full
release for the job of injury is not eligible for
wage-replacement (time-loss) compensation.
Send the job description to your employee’s
health care provider.
-
When you send the job description, be sure
to indicate how soon you need a response.
-
The provider will review the job
description and determine whether
your employee can safely perform the
proposed job duties.
-
The provider must approve the job
description before your employee begins
these duties.
-
If someone other than you makes
decisions about return to work, give
the provider that person’s name and
telephone number.
Send the job description to your employee.
If the provider releases your employee to
perform the work in the job description,
offer your employee the job.
-
Once the provider agrees that the job is
safe for this employee to do and gives
medical approval, offer the job to the
employee. Everyone needs to know
what this person is able to do safely and
adhere to the approved job description.
Make a written job offer.
-
You may want to put the offer in
writing so that your employee clearly
understands the job duties, start date,
hours and restrictions. See the sample
letter on Page 14.
-
If you made a verbal job offer and
your employee did not show up,
you must send a formal written job
offer, preferably by certied mail.
If this situation occurs, contact the
claim manager and send him/her
all documentation. The workers’
compensation benets your employee
receives could be affected if he/she
refuses a medically approved position.
After your employee returns to work
Regularly check with the employee to see how
his/her work and recovery are progressing.
Make certain any restrictions on work tasks
are being met.
Continue contact with the health care
provider; obtain his/her approval for
changes in duties.
Notify the claim manager if you are not able to
accommodate ongoing or permanent restrictions.
8
44
How L&I can help you:
Experts, services and dollars
Helping injured employees return to work as soon as
medically possible is a priority for the Department
of Labor & Industries. Return-to-work options can
speed your injured employee’s recovery, and reduce
the nancial impact of a workers’ compensation
claim. Everyone benets
—
you, your injured
employee and the workers’ compensation system.
We are also committed to providing services that
help you successfully implement return-to-work
options. Taking advantage of the services we offer can
benet your injured employee and your company’s
nancial health. There are no fees for these services.
Stay at Work
Stay at Work is a nancial incentive that helps
employers keep injured workers on the job or
bring them quickly and safely back to light-duty
or transitional work by reimbursing them for a
portion of their costs.
Eligible employers can be reimbursed for 50% of
the base wages paid up to 66 days to a maximum
of $10,000 per claim within a 24-month period.
(Fewer than eight hours still counts as one day.)
If, because of the injured worker’s unique needs,
the employer must make a purchase so the
worker can perform the job, Stay at Work may pay
for the following:
Training fees or materials, up to $1,000 per
claim. Example: Tuition, books, or supplies.
Tools up to $2,500 per claim.
Example: Special wrench or keyboard tray.
Clothing up to $400 per claim.
Example: Steel-toed boots.
Note: This can’t be a cost the employer incurs when
hiring other workers for the same job.
For more information go to
www.Lni.wa.gov/WorkingSolutions .
Early Return-to-Work teams
We have enhanced claim-handling processes to
help injured employees return to their jobs as
soon as medically possible. When an employee
has received partial wage-replacement (time-loss)
benets for 14 days, we assign that claim to an Early
Return-to-Work team in a local L&I ofce. The team
works with the employee, employer and health care
provider to explore return-to-work possibilities.
Members of the Early Return-to-Work teams are
vocational, therapy and nurse consultants. They
are trained professionals who know how to talk
with providers and help employers implement
medically appropriate return-to-work options.
They can work with you to take advantage of
other resources and services that are appropriate
for your injured employee.
You don’t have to wait until we contact you. If
you have an employee who is off work due to a
work-related injury or occupational illness, contact
the Early Return-to-Work team in the L&I office
nearest you. (See Page 9 for contact information.)
RTW-related services
Risk management services
A risk management specialist can meet with
you to help you develop return-to-work tools
and explain other strategies to minimize your
workers’ compensation costs and premiums. To
contact a risk management specialist, call your
local L&I ofce. (See Page 9.) Also, learn about
claim management workshops L&I offers at
www.Lni.wa.gov/Workshops .
9
Loss of earning power benefit from L&I
If your injured employee returns to a
transitional position at a reduced pay level,
he or she maybe entitled to payments to
help offset the difference between the original
wage and the temporary wage.
Job modification benefit
A therapist from L&I may assess whether a
modication could help your employee return to
work earlier. Modications include adjustments
to the work site or workstation, or tools or
equipment that allow your employee to work
within his/her limitations.
Equipment
You may be eligible for up to $5,000 from L&I to
make work-site modications that will help bring
your injured employee back to work.
Vocational assistance
Vocational services consultants at L&I may be
able to help you resolve problems in starting or
sustaining a return-to-work option.
Preferred Worker Program
Qualifying employers who hire workers
who meet specic criteria may be entitled to
premium discounts and other benets. You
can nd additional information online at
www.Lni.wa.gov/WorkingSolutions .
Safety resources
Build an injury-free company
Every employer should answer “yes” to these questions:
Do you know the hazards in your business,
and how to x them?
Are your employees involved in promoting
safety at your workplace?
Do you know how to prevent future injuries?
If you answer “no” to any of these questions, you could
benet from free safety consultation services from L&I.
Learn more at www.Lni.wa.gov/SafetyConsultants
or call a local L&I ofce.
Safety training online
Free online safety and health training on a wide
variety of topics makes it easier than ever for you
and your employees to learn about workplace
safety. These safety courses and topic overviews
can help you address safety awareness concerns,
such as chemical and biological hazards, rst aid
and re safety. There are also short, online videos
in English and Spanish covering common serious
hazards. Several training kits provide materials
and the information needed to meet specic
WISHA safety and health training requirements.
View the online safety training:
www.Lni.wa.gov/Workshops
Learn more about workplace safety and
health rules: www.Lni.wa.gov/SafetyRules
Return-to-Work contacts at Labor & Industries
Region 1
Northwest Washington
Bellingham ......... 360-647-7300
Everett ............. 425-290-1300
Mount Vernon ...... 360-416-3000
Region 2
King County
Bellevue ........... 425-990-1400
Seattle ............. 206-515-2800
Tukwila ............ 206-835-1000
Region 3
Pierce County/Peninsula
Sequim. . . . . . . . . . . . . 360-417-2700
Silverdale .......... 360-308-2800
Tacoma ............ 253-596-3800
Region 4
Southwest Washington
Aberdeen .......... 360-533-8200
Kelso .............. 360-575-6900
Tumwater .......... 360-902-5799
Vancouver ......... 360-896-2300
Region 5
Central Washington
East Wenatchee .... 509-886-6500
Kennewick ......... 509-735-0100
Moses Lake ........ 509-764-6900
Yakima ............. 509-454-3700
Region 6
Eastern Washington
Pullman ............ 509-334-5296
Spokane ........... 509-324-2600
10
55
Know the basics of workers’ comp claims
If you take an active role in dealing with a
workers’ comp claim, and communicate with
your injured employee and his/her claim
manager and health care provider, you will have
a much better chance of protecting yourself from
unnecessary claim payments.
Stay informed
1. Make sure your employee immediately obtains
required medical care from his or her health
care provider or hospital. L&I will reimburse
you for any required transportation costs. (You
must request reimbursement in writing.)
2. Make sure you promptly complete the
employer’s report of an injury. This is your
rst
—
and in some ways the most important
—
chance to let L&I know your side of the story,
especially if you question the validity of
an injury claim. Please provide as much
information as you can, and do not just repeat
the employee’s statements.
3. Stay informed about your worker’s
claim. At the Claim & Account Center
(www.Lni.wa.gov/ClaimInfo) you can get
information and exchange secure messages
with the claim manager. If you prefer phone
contact, call your local L&I ofce.
4. Pay attention to any mail you receive from
the Department of Labor & Industries. Some
correspondence may indicate deadlines for you
to appeal decisions regarding the claim.
Know your appeal rights
You have essentially the same status in a workers’
comp claim as your injured employee. You may
receive information and appeal or protest just as
your injured employee does.
Don’t delay. If your injured employee les a
claim accompanied by a health care provider’s
statement granting eligibility for time-loss
benets, L&I must send the rst check within
14 days. That’s the law.
Review orders you receive. There are two
types of orders you may receive, “binding”
(determinative) and “non-binding” (interlocutory).
Verify that the information stated on the order is
correct, and if it is not, contact L&I right away. An
example would be if you discover your employee
is continuing to receive time-loss checks, but he or
she has already returned to work.
Remember, written orders from L&I specify a
deadline for appeal or protest. You must take
action within the indicated timeframe.
11
Use resource materials
You may nd the following websites and printed
publications useful.
Websites
www.Lni.wa.gov/claims/for-employers/
injured-worker-what-you-need-to-know
A step-by-step overview for understanding the
claims process.
www.Lni.wa.gov/Insurance
Insurance for business: the section of L&I’s
website specically for employers.
www.Lni.wa.gov/WorkingSolutions
Learn about nancial incentives to assist
employers in bringing back workers to light-duty
or transitional work.
www.Lni.wa.gov/ClaimInfo
Employers can access a workplace injury claim
or their industrial insurance account through the
Claim & Account Center. The site is generally
available weekdays 6 a.m.–11:30 p.m. and on
weekend days. It may be closed for maintenance
during early mornings and weekend evenings.
Publications
Employers’ Guide to Workers’ Compensation
Insurance in Washington State (F101-002-000)
This publication is available at
www.Lni.wa.gov/forms-publications/
F101-002-000.pdf or by calling the L&I
ofce nearest you.
Getting Back to Work: It’s Your Job and
Your Future (F200-001-000)
You can share this brochure with your employees.
It is available at www.Lni.wa.gov/forms-
publications/F200-001-000.pdf or by calling
the L&I ofce nearest you.
The Complete Stay at Work Guide
for Employers (F243-005-000)
This publication is available online at
www.Lni.wa.gov/forms-publications/
F243-005-000.pdf .
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66
Tools you can use
Sample Light-duty Job Description
Note: The following is a sample. A llable form you can use as a
template to create the job description is available at www.Lni.wa.gov/
forms-publications/F252-040-000.docx on the L&I website.
Order Taker
Job Duties:
In a dealer’s auto parts department, takes orders from customers,
utilizing telephone, fax and Internet. Checks on availability and price of parts, and
advises customers. May write up order and invoice as appropriate.
Tools and equipment:
Telephone, computer, desk, chair, paper and pen or pencil.
Frequency and duration of tasks:
Worker can set task and speed level and has the
exibility to stand or sit as needed.
Physical demands limited to the following:
1.
Frequent
—
Lift paper and writing implements weighing less than one pound.
2.
Alternate sitting and standing as needed to write up orders and enter into computer.
3.
Frequent
—
Handle and grasp writing implements to organize and record information.
4.
Frequent
—
Fine nger manipulation to keyboard and organize paperwork.
No additional demands will be required of the worker without approval of the
attending doctor. Any reasonable accommodation can be considered.
Employer’s Signature:
Date:
Medical Release Date:
Health Care Provider’s Comments:
Health Care Provider’s Signature:
Date:
Health Care Provider’s Printed Name:
Seldom = up to 10% Frequent = 30% to 70%
Occasional = 10% to 30% Constant = over 70%
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Sample Employer Cover Letter to Health Care Provider
Date
ADDRESS BLOCK:
Worker’s Treating Doctor
Address
City, State, Zip
RE: Light Duty for [Name of Employee]
Claim Number:
Dear Doctor:
To assist
in returning to work, we would like to offer a modied
light-duty position. I have enclosed a copy of the proposed position. Please provide
your medical opinion about this individual’s ability to perform this job.
If further modications or accommodations are needed, please describe them in
detail. Thank you for treating our valued employee. Please call me if you have any
questions or comments.
Sincerely,
Your name and title
cc: Labor & Industries’ Claim Manager
Employee
Enclosure: Job description
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Sample Job Offer Letter
Date
ADDRESS BLOCK:
Injured employee’s name
Address
City, State, Zip
Dear:
I am pleased to offer you transitional employment as an Order Taker that will
accommodate your current physical capacities. The attached job description approved
by your health care provider on [appropriate date] describes your job duties.
Your work hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, which is a
40-hour week. This position will pay $9.50 per hour. Please contact your L&I claim
manager to determine if you are eligible for Loss of Earning Power benets.
Your supervisor is
. He has been made aware of your current
work restrictions, which are no lifting and carrying of objects over 5 lbs. If you have
trouble performing your job duties, you must let your supervisor know immediately.
Please report to your supervisor on Monday, April 1, at 8:00 a.m. Please call me if you
do not accept this job offer. If I do not hear from you, and you do not report for work
as scheduled, I will assume that you have decided not to accept this job offer. If you
do not accept this job offer, it may affect your time-loss benets.
Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Your name and title
cc: Labor & Industries’ Claim Manager
Supervisor
Enclosure: Job description approved by health care provider
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Frequently asked questions
about job modifications
What is a job modification?
A job modication is an adjustment or alteration
to the way a job is performed. The modication
may be temporary during recovery or permanent
Employers can make job modications independently
of the L&I. Some workers may be eligible for an L&I
benet assisting with a job modication.
Why should a job be modified?
Modifying a job helps an injured worker return
to work more quickly. It typically decreases
time-loss and long-term disability.
Can you give me some examples of
job modifications?
A worker developed carpal tunnel syndrome
as a result of frequently gripping small pliers
during mechanical work. His restrictions include
reducing the amount of force he uses to grasp
tools. Using pliers designed with larger and
longer handles will reduce the force.
A worker with a back injury who has lifting
restrictions has to manually lift boxes off of a
conveyor onto a pallet. The worker may benet
from a mechanical lifting device.
When does L&I offer financial assistance
with job modifications?
For eligible workers, L&I will provide nancial
assistance with job modications. For these
workers, L&I may pay for a consultation and
special equipment or tools so that the worker can
return to their job or a new job.
Who is eligible for the L&I benefit?
A worker may be eligible for the L&I benet if:
The worker has an open and allowed claim, and
The worker is off work or was taken off work
in the past, and
The attending heath-care provider placed
restrictions on the worker that prevent them
from doing their regular or new job.
What is the process for requesting
the L&I benefit?
Contact the claim manager to request a consultation
on the job modication. Any existing work restrictions
must be identied at the time of the request.
A number of involved parties may request a job
modication consultation: the attending health-
care provider, employer, consulting health care or
vocational service provider, claim manager, third-
party administrator or the worker.
Who decides what type of modification
L&I will pay for?
If the request for a consultation is approved, a
consultant will work with the worker, employer,
and attending health care provider as needed to
identify an appropriate job modication.
Who is the consultant for job modifications?
Typically, the job modication consultant is a
physical or occupational therapist, a vocational
service provider, an ergonomic consultant, or a
member of the employer’s staff.
Vendors who supply equipment for the
modication may not provide the consultation
without prior approval from the claim manager.
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How does L&I pay for job modifications?
For eligible workers, L&I pays up to $5,000
per claim per job site. The benet is paid out
of the Second-Injury Fund. Use of the job
modication benet does not directly affect
the employer’s industrial insurance (workers’
compensation) premiums.
Self-insured employers may request
reimbursement for equipment and tools from
L&I’s Self-Insurance section.
Who owns equipment purchased by L&I
as part of a job modification?
Either the employer or the worker may own
the equipment or tools L&I purchases as part
of a job modication. Both parties must sign an
agreement specifying ownership. Typically the
employer will own non-portable items and items
that are bolted to the work site.
How can I get more information about
L&I’s job modification benefit?
Visit L&I’s website at www.Lni.wa.gov/
claims/for-vocational-providers/transitioning-
back-to-work/#job-modications
Call the assigned claim manager, or
Call the L&I ofce nearest you and ask to
talk with the Regional Supervisor.
Upon request, foreign language support and formats for
persons with disabilities are available. Call 1-800-547-8367.
TDD users, call 711. L&I is an equal opportunity employer.
PUBLICATION F200-003-000 [08-2018]
