P-022 Workplace Rehabilitation Program

Date of Issue: 1997/09/03

BACKGROUND: 

Research has shown that employees who take part in programs promoting early return to work (workplace rehabilitation programs) generally recover sooner and more completely than employees who remain inactive.

In these programs, rehabilitative duties are temporarily provided to ill or injured employees with reduced functional abilities. The functional restrictions are determined by Occupational Health Services in consultation with the employee’s physician. In the rehabilitation program, employees are provided with modified duties in keeping with their functional abilities. These modified duties are tasks that a worker may perform without any increased risk of injury. The modified duties assigned are gradually increased in scope until the employee returns to full duties.

PURPOSE: 

The purpose of the program is constructive and rehabilitative.

•    Appropriate employment assists the rehabilitative process.
•    The long term health of the employee has first priority.
•    The sooner the employee returns to work, the more likely the rehabilitation will be successful.
•    Rehabilitative work must have a purpose and make a useful contribution to the Department.
•    The work must match the employee’s restrictions as set out by Health Services.
•    The program applies to employees with temporary partial disabilities.

(Employees who are permanently disabled are not eligible to take part in the program.)

OBJECTIVES: 

The objectives of the rehabilitation program are:

•    To rehabilitate the injured or ill worker;
•    To work toward the progressive return of ill or injured workers to their previous
•    job;
•    To optimize the work contribution of the injured or ill workers within the bounds of their capabilities.

SCOPE:

This policy applies to Halifax Regional Municipality employees. 

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Occupational Health Department’s Role:

•    To promote the recovery and rehabilitation of injured/ill employees through the appropriate application of workplace rehabilitation.
•    To examine employees to determine physical limitations and role of rehabilitative duties. To define these limitations for the employee and management, such that appropriate duties can be determined.
•    To review the physical limitations and the role of rehabilitative work in order to set mutual goals.
•    To monitor employees returning to work in the rehabilitation program on a regular basis, to advise management and treating physicians of any difficulties encountered and to discuss any problems which may arise.

Department’s Role: 

•    To keep in touch with an ill/injured employee in order to plan for the return to work.
•    To have available a list of possible work for the rehabilitation program.
•    To work with the employee and Health Services in planning possible work assignments within the employee’s physical limitations.
•    To approve the acceptance of the employee in the Work Place Rehabilitation Program based on Health Services recommendation, length of illness, type of work, etc.
•    To work with the employee and Health Services in assisting the progress of the employee to full activities.
•    To obtain fitness assessment as necessary from Occupational Health Services. 
•    To keep Occupational Health Services informed of any employee with disabling injuries, employees returning to the rehabilitation program, or changes to the status of an employee in the program. 

Employee’s Role: 

•    To take an active and cooperative role in the treatment and rehabilitation program.
•    To maintain regular contact with the Department and Occupational Health
•    Services after an illness or injury, to attend appointments as scheduled and to notify Occupational Health Services if there is a problem attending the scheduled appointments.
•    To communicate any concerns to the Department and/or Occupational Health Services so that potential problems can be resolved quickly.

THE PROCESS:

1.    Employees who are injured or off work due to illness will be referred to Occupational Health Services.

2.    If assessed by Occupational Health Services to be medically fit for work, with no restrictions, then the employee returns to full duties.

3.    If assessed by Occupational Health Services to be medically fit for work, with restrictions, then Health Services will notify the Department of the physical restrictions, and the expected duration of these restrictions.

4.    If physical restrictions are deemed necessary, the Department, the employee and Health Services will review the role of modified work in the rehabilitation process.

5.    The Department and the employee will meet to discuss the available duties. Rehabilitative work will be arranged for the employee where possible depending on the nature of the injury and duration. Occupational Health Services will monitor the employee’s medical progress.

6.    If, at any time, the employee claims a recurrence of injury or illness, or, if his/her condition deteriorates while working on the program the employee will be referred to Occupational Health Services for reassessment.

7.    This program is rehabilitative in nature, and is not designed for employees with long term partial disabilities. Those employees whose rehabilitation progress has a plateau they will be assessed by the Occupational Health Services.

The length of time an employee will be on modified duties will vary. Generally it may be for a period of up to six weeks. In certain situations a short extension may be required. This will be done in consultation with Occupational Health Services.

RELATED POLICIES/ OPERATING GUIDELINES:

•    P-042 Leave of Absence- Volunteers
•    P-303 Return to Work-Training

POLICY REVIEW:

This policy shall be reviewed when/if there are changes/amendments made to the Workplace Rehabilitation Program.