Policy 5650 - Transitional Work Program

OBJECTIVE 

To provide injured employees the opportunity to return to gainful employment at Richland School District No. 400 (District) on a temporary/limited basis until they are able to return to full duty. 

SCOPE 

All exempt and non-exempt employees of the District. 

MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITY 

To assist in the placement of an injured employee either at their usual place of employment or another area within the District. Supervisor cooperation and participation is mandatory to the extent of identifying and placing employees in transitional positions whenever possible. 

DEFINITIONS 

Transitional Work: A program to assist injured employees in returning to work on a temporary/limited basis. The healthcare provider, in coordination with the District Supervisor, Human Resources Executive Director, Safety Specialist and ESD 123 Personnel Enhancement Administrator, adjudicator or a third party administrator (TPA), will determine the extent of restrictions. 

Reasonable Accommodation: 

• Any reasonable and practical modification to a job duty process that enables a employee to be considered for the position he or she has been offered; and/or 
• Any reasonable and practical modification to the work environment, or to the manner or circumstances under which the position is customarily performed, that enables an injured employee to perform the essential functions of that position without increasing the risk of injury; and/or 
• Any reasonable and practical modification which enables an injured employee to return to work as a regular employee. 

Physician: Any person (other than a relative of the injured employee) who is properly licensed and recognized by the law of the state in which treatment is received, as qualified to treat the injured employee for which a claim is made under the plan, and is providing treatment and care that is necessary to resolve the condition. 

APPLICABILITY 

The Transitional Work Program is mandatory for all exempt and non-exempt employees who have been released by their healthcare provider to some form of transitional work. 

PROGRAM CRITERIA 

Employees will be approved for the program if the following criteria are met: 

• Employees must be released to transitional work by their healthcare provider, Agreed Medical Examiner or an Independent Medical Examiner. 
• A suitable position must be identified that is within the medical restrictions as described by any of the above healthcare providers and the district can accommodate such restrictions. 

PROGRAM COORDINATION 

Identification of Candidates: Most candidates for the program will be initially identified by their healthcare provider. Employees may also be recommended for the program by one of the following: District Supervisor, Human Resources Executive Director, Safety Specialist, and ESD 123 Personnel Enhancement Administrator, adjudicator or a TPA. 

Initiation of the Process: One of the following individuals will be responsible for relaying the information on the potential candidate to the ESD 123 Personnel Enhancement Administrator or a TPA: 

• Safety Specialist 
• Supervisor 
• Adjudicator 
• Healthcare Provider 
• Human Resources Executive Director 

The Physician’s Work Status form should be forwarded to the ESD 123 Personnel Enhancement Administrator or a TPA immediately. 

ESD 123 Personnel Enhancement Administrator or a TPA will serve as the central coordination point for the Transitional Work Program. Upon knowledge of an injury, the Supervisor or Safety Specialist may accompany the injured employee to an approved occupational clinic. 

Initial Contact: will be made with the healthcare provider and a transitional work assignment (TWA) will be discussed. The District Supervisor or Safety Specialist or Human Resources Executive Director will immediately contact the ESD 123 Personnel Enhancement Administrator or TPA to alert him/her of the transitional work assignment. The ESD 123 Personnel Enhancement Administrator or a TPA will advise the Adjudicator. 

The following sources may be utilized to identify either modifications to the employee’s current position or other positions available within the District. 

• Employee’s Supervisor 
• ESD 123 Personnel Enhancement Administrator or a TPA 
• Safety Specialist 
• Human Resources Executive Director 
• Outside sources such as ergonomics, rehabilitation nurse, etc. 

Follow-up: After each employee’s follow up appointment with their healthcare provider, the Supervisor shall receive a work status form from the employee. The Supervisor will fax a copy to the Adjudicator, and contact the District Safety Specialist and/or Human Resources Executive Director. If additional work limitations are required, the Adjudicator will notify the Personnel Enhancement Administrator or a TPA. The Supervisor, Safety Specialist and the ESD 123 Personnel Enhancement Administrator or a TPA will monitor the employee’s progress throughout the transitional work assignment. 

PROGRAM DURATION 

Minimum Entrance Requirements: Employees who require a transitional work assignment (TWA) for 5 days or longer will be considered for the program by the District Supervisor and/or Human Resources Executive Director and ESD 123 Personnel Enhancement Administrator or TPA. The Supervisor and/or Human Resources Executive Director, with the assistance of the ESD 123 Personnel Enhancement Administrator or TPA will complete a Transitional Work Assignment Agreement. 

The Safety Specialist and/or Human Resources Executive Director will complete a Transitional Work Assignment Agreement for transitional work that lasts less than 5 days. A copy of the agreement will be forwarded the ESD 123 Personnel Enhancement Administrator or a TPA. 

Maximum Program Duration: An individual transitional work assignment shall be reevaluated after each doctor’s visit, 14 days, or which ever comes first, and lasting no longer than 30 days in duration without further evaluation. There is no intent to continue 

an employee beyond 90 days with a transitional work assignment. The ESD 123 Personnel Enhancement Administrator or a TPA or Human Resources Executive Director must approve all extensions to the transitional work assignment beyond 90 days. Performance ratings, and employment discharge for cause, will be handled by Human Resources Executive Director, and the employee’s Supervisor. 

Employee shall use a time sheet to record Transitional Work Program hours. The time sheet shall include date worked and hours worked each day. Time sheet shall be turned into payroll on payroll cutoff dates. District Payroll will notify ESD 123 or TPA of the time sheet for the employee. 

PROGRAM MONITORING 

The District will provide monitoring of individual cases as well as the overall program development. Injury and Transitional Work reports/results will be published monthly on the Detailed Loss Run report and distributed to Superintendents, Business Managers, and/or Supervisors. 

The ESD123 will publish the OSHA Log on an annual basis. 

CONFIDENTIALITY 

The intent of this program is to assist injured employees in the Transitional Work Program. It will be necessary to obtain medical information regarding the employee in order to accomplish this goal. The District will make reasonable efforts to limit access to medical records to those persons who have a “need to know”. In particular, actual medical records will be maintained at the ESD 123 Personnel Enhancement Team Department or a TPA only. 

Adoption: