RETURN TO WORK WILL SAVE MONEY

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RETURN TO WORK WILL SAVE MONEY

• AND ITS THE RIGHT THING TO DO FOR THE EMPLOYEES

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7 REASONS FOR IMPLEMENTING A RTW PROGRAM

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

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2. You Cant Afford Not To Implement A RTW
Program

• By having injured/ill employees performing
  modified work, the existing workforce would be
  more efficiently managed resulting in increased
  productivity no waste of time and resources.
• A Strong RTW Program Financial Savings, and
  will ultimately make money rather than cost money
  by minimizing Workers Compensation and
  Disability costs.

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

• Returning injured/ill employees to work as soon
  as possible dramatically reduces temporary
  disability and medical expenses because active
  employees recover faster and tend not to utilize
  medical services as frequently.
• RTW documents compliance with ADA regulations and
  documents the Countys commitment to returning
  injured/ill employees to work, thus, reducing
  litigation costs in the long run and human costs
  in the short run.

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4. We Are In The Business of Providing Services
Not In The Business of Paying Employees To Be
Absent

• When employees are absent from work, productivity
  is negatively impacted.
• Remaining at home encourages employees to be
  inactive both physically and psychologically.
  Psychological problems, loss of skills and
  physical conditioning is minimized by an
  effective RTW Program.
• RTW provides the employee with the physical
  conditioning necessary to a full recovery.

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5. RTW Program Gives Managers And Supervisors
More Control

• Since transitional duty assignments are only
  temporary assignments, management can alter the
  time frames.
• Since a physician must approve every work
  restriction, there is little room for abuse as
  RTW can build a strong working relationship
  between the employer and physician.
• Physicians will cooperate with a system that
  carefully documents transitional duty and offers
  appropriate choices to the patient.
• A disabled employee attempting to work the
  system may resent RTW efforts, however, the
  majority of employees want to be productive
  members of society and will appreciate their
  managers and supervisors efforts, and look
  forward to being employed in a temporary modified
  position.

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6. Unions Recognize The Psychological And
Physiological Benefits of RTW

• RTW does not assign employees to a job they are
  assigned to a task.
• Unions are receptive because full employment of
  their membership is their primary goal.
• RTW does not change employees job classifications
  or rate of pay.

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7. RTW CAN ACCOMPLISH PROJECTS THAT YOU NEVER
HAVE TIME TO PERFORM

• RTW coordinates efforts in a centralized function
  and uses all available resources, including Risk
  Management Safety Personnel.
• Transitional Duty frees up time to devote to more
  important activities (i.e., incomplete projects
  or wish lists).

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WHATS NEXT?

• Begin to implement our Return to Work Program
  through the collaborative efforts of County
  Agencies/Departments for injured/ill employees
  when medically feasible for both Occupational and
  Non-Occupational incidences.
• Begin early intervention with employees to lessen
  the financial and emotional impact of their
  injury or illness and safely return them to work.
• Develop job data base/analysis for transitional
  assignments
• Adhere to 90 Day Rule, temporary assignments
  are reevaluated every 30 days within a 90 day
  period which may be extended based on medical
  necessity, and approved by Agency/Department
  Human Resources Manager and County Return To Work
  Manager.
• Establish the Return To Work Committee as an
  advisory group, chaired by the County Return to
  Work Manager, to address means to improve
  unnecessary employee absences in order to
  minimize the number of days lost to injury or
  illness.
• Educate employees on the Countys Return to Work
  Program.

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INTEGRATED DISABILITY MANAGEMENT ENSURES AN
EFFECTIVE RTW PROGRAM
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ORANGE COUNTY RETURN TO WORK PROGRAM

• QUESTIONS ?