How to Offer Transitional Duty to Your Injured Employees for Workers Comp: The TD Form Letter
A personal relationship with your injured employees is critical. You need them to feel both you and the company care about their well-being. Hopefully this is truly the case.
Now, it must be said keeping your company afloat with regard to workers’ compensation costs hinges on you getting your employee back to work.
The offer of work-arounds or transitional duties for the employee needs to be warm but professional. Consider the following segments in your form letter:
1. Scope
2. Work Assignment
3. Compensation
4. Periodic Review
With regard to “scope,” be sure to list the following:
5. Inform the employee your Transitional Duty Program was established to provide continuous employment for employees who cannot perform all job functions temporarily because of a work-related injury or illness.
6. Let them know the goal is to ensure every employee remains an active part of the workforce.
7. Make it clear participation in the Transitional Duty Program is a condition of employment.
Next, let them know the work assignment will make every attempt to be similar to their original job and if they chose not to return to work, they may be eligible for 12 weeks of unpaid leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act.
Compensation, it should be noted, changes for transitional duty since the employee is not eligible for overtime. If transitional duty is unavailable then they will be paid for lost work time in accordance with state law.
Periodic reviews: Let employees know transitional duty lasts no longer than 120 day, after that time they may return to their original position. If they are unable to do so, your company offers another position if this is required under the Americans with Disabilities Act. If, no other position is available, the employee will be separated from the company. (workersxzcompxzkit).
Free forms are offered periodically at http://www.reduceyourworkerscomp.com/free-workers-comp-form.php
To view Documents by WCK Modules visit: http://www.reduceyourworkerscomp.com/documents/Doc-List-by-Module.pdf
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws are different. Consult with your corporate legal counsel before implementing any cost containment programs.
©2008 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact Info@WorkersCompKit.com
Robert Elliott is a senior vice president with Amaxx Risks Solutions, Inc. Over the past 20 years, he has worked successfully with many industries reducing Workers’ Compensation costs, such as airlines, health care, manufacturing, printing/publishing, pharmaceuticals, retail, hospitality and many other industries and organizations. Contact him at Robert_Elliott@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com
