One of the most effective ways to control workers’ compensation costs is to implement a return to work (RTW) program. An RTW plan can help an injured employee make an independent and successful return to work as soon as possible following an injury.
The longer injured employees are off work, the more likely they are to become permanently disabled. Injured workers who don’t return to work within 6 months have only a 50 percent chance of ever returning to the job held when they became injured. If the absence lasts more than a year, the chances of that employee returning to work drop to less than 10 percent.
A win-win situation for both the injured worker and the employer, an RTW program can reduce claims costs by getting the injured worker back on the job sooner through temporary modified duty. Numerous studies have shown that employees recover faster when they return to work.
RTW helps keep life as normal as possible for injured employees while they recover and integrate back into work. Economically, RTW may be able to help the employee retain stable income, benefits, and seniority. Additionally RTW helps the employee by reducing negative psychological effects such as disillusionment or anger at the loss of physical abilities or the ability to achieve career goals, and by fostering the positive effects of job security and interaction with friends and coworkers.
Every State Fund regional office has an RTW specialist. For more information on State Fund’s RTW Program or to get personal assistance on creating and implementing a program, contact your State Fund representative.
