According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2.7 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses were reported by private industry employers in 2020. In addition, 1,176,340 of those injuries and illnesses caused workers to miss at least one day of work.
The longer an injured employee is out of work, the less likely they will return to work. The longer a claim remains open and an injured employee is off the job, the more it costs the employer.
The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) reports that absenteeism costs exceed $40 billion a year. Here are a few of the absenteeism costs cited for employers:
A Return-to-Work (RTW) program gets injured employees back to work more quickly and safely and provides many benefits to both employees and employers.
An RTW program is designed to get injured employees back to work as soon as possible (based on their doctor’s recommendation). That could mean the injured employee comes back to modified duties or a temporary position to accommodate any limitations caused by the injury.
The Department of Labor & Industry defines RTW as “a proactive approach, endorsed by many health care providers, designed to help restore injured workers to their former lifestyle in the safest and most effective manner possible. A partnership among workers, union representatives, employers, and health care providers stakeholders is developed in a collaborative effort to return the injured worker back to his or her pre-injury status.”
Studies have shown that getting an injured employee back to work as quickly and safely as possible is the best approach for both the employee and the company.
Here are a few benefits of an RTW for the employer:
Here are a few benefits of an RTW for the injured employee:
Research shows that even co-workers can benefit from an RTW program.
Despite common misconceptions, back-to-work programs don’t need to be costly or complicated but benefit everyone. SHRM recommends following the following steps to create an effective RTW program:
Step 1 – Determine who will be included in the RTW/light-duty program
Step 2 – Define what will be included in the program
Step 3 – Develop a written policy
Step 4 – Review the organization’s current job descriptions
Step 5 – Develop a bank of light duties
Step 6 – Develop a form
Step 7 – Designate an RTW coordinator
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