Injured employees who return to work, even in a limited capacity, regain their ability to earn a paycheck and contribute to their team. Their safe, speedy return also helps control claim costs and reduces your need for replacement workers. As a result, everyone wins.

The steps below outline the basic principals of a return-to-work program. To help customize this program for your business, Zenith offers our workers' compensation policyholders regional and online training, job analysis templates, ideas for transitional work assignments and direct support.

	Create a written policy statement addressing your company's intention to return employees to work following an injury. Establish roles and responsibilities for everyone involved. View Sample of Written Statement.
	Train employees to immediately report all workplace injuries to a manager or supervisor.
	Train supervisors on how to effectively return an employee to work. Studies show that the injured employee's direct supervisor has the most significant impact on whether the employee will return to work, and when. Employees can return to work safely before they are 100% recovered. The steps below outline how a supervisor can create a customized transitional work assignment:
	Stay in regular contact with the employee. Encourage the employee throughout their recovery and let them know that the team is looking forward to their return. Ask them to participate in creating their return-to-work plan and let them know how valued they are. Define the employee's regular job tasks to help ensure that you have a clear picture of their functions and responsibilities. View Sample of Job Task Breakdown. Obtain a work release from the treating doctor before the employee returns to work. Ask the physician to be clear and specific when setting limitations. If the physician lists "Limited lifting" as a restriction, ask them to provide a recommended weight and time limit for the task. (Note: Restrictions should be temporary and accompanied by date for next medical evaluation.) Develop a safe transitional work assignment based on the medical restrictions and capabilities. Determine which regular job tasks the employee can perform and which need to be modified or replaced. For the regular tasks that the employee is currently unable to perform, there are four approaches employers can take: Modify or restructure the way the work tasks are done. Example: Have the employee sit rather than stand to complete task. Adjust the employee's work schedule and/or time spent on tasks. Example: Allocate more or less time to specific tasks as the medical restrictions permit. Provide an assistive device or work tool. Examples: headset, hand truck Identify an entirely new task. Examples: Answering phones, making copies Monitor the employee's transitional work assignment and adjust as needed. Check with the employee after the first day and periodically thereafter to ensure no additional problems arise from the transitional work assignment. Regularly obtain updated doctor reports so that you know when the employee is ready to come back to full duty.