The Transitional Work Program is intended for individuals who have an approved work related injury or illness through Workers' Compensation. The purpose of this program is to make a concerted effort to provide suitable modified work, alternative duties and reasonable accommodations for an employee to perform some form of job duties. This can be done through the home department of the injured worker or through the Workers' Compensation Administration Department.

Program Eligibility
Injury/Illness Classification
Criteria for Assigning Transitional Work Task
Time Parameters for the Transitional Work Program
Responsibilities of the Transitional Work Program
COMPENSATION FOR PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS
Evaluation of the Transitional Work Program

Program Eligibility

The following conditions are required in order to participate in the Transitional Work Program (TWP):

The injury and/or illness must be occupational
The Workers’ Compensation Claim has to be APPROVED
A position/job (home or alternate ) must be available
The restrictions must be compatible to the transitional position/job

Injury/Illness Classification

Injuries/Illnesses, which are eligible for the Transitional Work Program, are classified as either Acute or Chronic. Each of these classifications requires different entrance criteria into the program and varying levels of service to ensure a successful transition of the employee to full employment.

Acute injuries or illnesses are defined as those incidents in which:

Condition is readily apparent,
The extent of disability is fairly obvious,
Physical limitations are easily ascertained by the attending physician,
The duration of the employee’s limitations is expected to be 10 working days or less before he/she can return to normal duties without restrictions,
The employee need only short-term job accommodations and does not require extensive case management services or physical therapy interventions

The University’s occupational health physician or the employee’s personal physician determines if the conditions is classified as acute and makes any necessary recommendations for restricted work activity and the expected duration of such restrictions.

An employee whose condition is classified as acute is referred to the Workers’ Compensation Administration Department if the Occupational Health clinic is unable to work out an immediate return to work with the employee’s supervisor. Workers’ Compensation Department will initiate the transitional work process to facilitate the employee’s participation in the transitional work program if necessary.

Employees who are classified as acute but fail to return to regular full duty status within 10 working days will be referred to the Workers’ Compensation Committee composed of the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, Managed Care Organization, the Third Party Administrator and the Workers’ Compensation Administration Department to evaluate the need for more comprehensive services including work-site or clinic based therapy.

Chronic injuries/illnesses are defined as those conditions in which:

the extent of disability is NOT readily apparent,
the person may NOT be medically stable,
physical limitations are NOT functionally defined in relation to the employee’s job demands,
the duration of the employee’s limitations is likely to exceed 10 days working days,
more extensive case management services and physical therapy interventions are required.

An employee whose condition is classified as chronic is referred to the Workers’ Compensation Administration Department and they will be responsible for initiating the transitional work process. They will facilitate the employee’s participation in the transitional work program and may confer with the Workers’ Compensation Committee.

Criteria for Assigning Transitional Work Task

Department Heads and Supervisors will adhere to the following criteria in assigning the employee to suitable work within the limitations established by the attending physician or the physical therapist that is providing clinical services to the employee under prescription of a physician.

Return the employee to his/her original job with modifications and accommodations.

Return the employee to his/her original job on limited basis and assign alternative work duties within the employee capabilities.

Return the employee to alternative work which may or may not be considered “regular work” and is within the scope of the specified limitations .This could involve:

A transfer to another job in which the employee may be able to perform without restrictions
A transfer to another job, which the employee may be able to perform with accommodations or modifications.
Assignment of “non-traditional work duties” which are compatible with the employee’s restrictions.

The creation of transitional work opportunities will not violate any collective bargaining agreements.

Time Parameters for the Transitional Work Program

The expected duration of an employee’s transitional work program is 60 working days. Under extenuating circumstances, the program may be extended up to 90 working days. Criteria for program extension beyond 60 working days may include the following.

The employee has demonstrated significant progress with respect to strength and endurance and is expected to make a successful transition to full duty within an additional 30 working days.
The nature and severity of the employee’s impairment requires a maximum transition period that is expected to exceed 60 days, but no longer than the maximum 90 working days.
Due to aggravation of the employee’s impairment, the employee’s involvement in the program is temporarily disrupted, limited or modified.

In the event an employee is unable to return to regular duty status after completing the transitional work program, information (e.g. physical therapy recommendations, job analysis data and functional capacity information) will be provided to the Workers’ Compensation Committee who will examine other case management options.

Responsibilities of the Transitional Work Program

A. Workers’ Compensation Administration Department is responsible for :

Reviewing all lost time claims to determine the employee’s appropriateness for participation in the transitional work program.
Initiating the case management process by establishing and maintaining close communication with the key program participants including: the injured employee, the employee’s physician, the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation case manager, union representative, the employee’s supervisor, Managed Care Organization, physical therapist, Occupational Health Clinic, Environmental Health and Safety, Third Party Administrator and other associated individuals.
Scheduling program participants for functional capacity evaluations (FCE) and disseminating this information to the appropriate parties
Coordinating the development of an individualized written transitional work plan in collaboration with the physical therapist, employee and supervisor.
Ensuring that the provision of work site therapy or other rehabilitation services are authorized by the Workers’ Compensation Administration Department.
Monitoring the progress of all program participants and conducting case staffing meetings with the physical therapist, work supervisor and associated individuals as required.
Maintaining case files on all participants containing the employee’s transitional work return plan, functional capacity evaluation, therapy progress, case notes, prescription for services and other related information.
Reporting program operational problems to the proper university administrative unit.
Scheduling Workers’ Compensation Committee meetings.

B. Physical Therapist is responsible for:

Performing on-site functional capacity evaluations and job analysis. Providing written copies of evaluations to the BWC case manager, Workers’ Compensation Administration Department and attending physician.
Using job analysis and functional capacity information to form the basis of the employee’s individualized written work return plan.
Collaborating with the appropriate work supervisor or department director in recommending and implementing job accommodations or other work task modifications during the employee’s work program.
Recommending ergonomic modifications or the use of adequate equipment when necessary.
Establishing a schedule of on-site sessions to provide therapy and facilitate the employee’s reconditioning, task progression and work adjustment.
Providing consultation to the employee’s supervisor to ensure safe work practices that are consistent with the employee’s functional capabilities.

C. Immediate Work Supervisor is responsible for:

Complying with the clinical recommendations of the physical therapist and facilitating the identification of work tasks that is compatible with the functional capacities of the employee.
Identifying reasonable job accommodations and modifications that are compatible with the functional capacities of the employee.
Monitoring the employee’s progress during the transitional program and providing feedback regarding the employee’s performance to the physical therapist.
Attending the required meetings with the therapists, etc.
Signing the employees individualized written transitional work return program indicating support and approval of the plan.
In cases where the supervisor or department head do not agree with the recommendations of the physical therapist, (after verbal communication) they will issue a written statement outlining their reasons for disagreement and offering alternate recommendations.

D. Program Participant is responsible for:

Maintaining regular attendance in the program as outlined in their individualized transitional work plan.
Complying with the clinical instructions and recommendations of the physical therapist while maintaining safe work practices.
Signing their individualized transitional work plan indicating agreement with the recommendations of the therapist and work supervisor.
Notifying their work supervisor of any changes in their work attendance or schedule so that this information may be conveyed to the physical therapist.
Promptly reporting any problems to the supervisor and physical therapist.

E. Coworkers are responsible for:

Cooperating with the objectives of the transitional work program by complying with reasonable, temporary job accommodations and other task modifications associated with a fellow employee’s transitional work plan.
Reporting problems or concerns about the program to the work supervisor.

COMPENSATION FOR PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS

Gradual Return to Work

A gradual return to work involves an employee who can return to work for a period less than a normal week. For example, a worker returns to work for four hours per day for the first two weeks, 6 hours per day for the second two weeks, and 8 hours per day for the final two weeks of the program.
Employees involved in a gradual return to work will receive their regular hourly wage for all hours worked, and apply with the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation wage loss compensation for hours not worked.
If an employee is transferred to an alternate department (outside the home unit ) the the employee will be considered to be in the CHARGE BACK PROGRAM. The employee’s salary will be paid from the Home Department’s budget. The program can be gradual or full-time.

Full-Time Transitional Work

Employees who participate in the transitional work and work a regular, full time week will receive their regular hourly wage.
If the employee is transferred to an alternate department (outside the home unit) the employee will be considered to be in the CHARGE BACK PROGRAM. The employee’s salary will be paid from the home department’s budget.

Evaluation of the Transitional Work Program

In order to evaluate whether or not the transitional work is accomplishing its mission of reducing work-related disability cost and protecting the employability of impaired workers, it is necessary to collect appropriate information and report such information to the appropriate university personnel.

The Workers’ Compensation Administration Department is responsible for collecting the following data, which is used to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the transitional work program.

Obtain and summarize data from the program participant (employee) satisfaction questionnaire this is to be completed by each employee who participates in the program.
Obtain and summarize data from the work supervisor satisfaction questionnaire which is to be completed by the work supervisors or department directors who have supervised employee program participants. This questionnaire may be completed semi-annually or annually depending on the number of employees involved in the program.
Maintain the records as to the number of workers who have participated indicating the name of the employee’s department, job title, length of program, number of hours worked, the outcome of the program (e.g. return to full duty status, returned to modified or accommodated job, and the number of workers who failed to complete the program. In cases where the employee does not make a successful transition back to the original job, the W/C Department will report the reasons for the lack of success.
The total number of workers’ compensation claims and lost time days for all workers compensation claims.
The number of medical only claims.
The total compensation cost for all workers compensation claims.
The total rehabilitation cost for all workers compensation claims and all transitional work participants.
The status of employees who participate in the program but fail to make a successful return to work (e.g. lump sum settlement, permanent total disability, PERS disability retirement, continued temporary total disability or referral to the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation for more extensive vocational rehabilitation services).