DND Civilian Employees Return to Work Program Briefing

DND Civilian Employee’s Return to Work Program Briefing UNDE Executive 6 May 2013

Session Content 1. RTW Program Objectives; 2. Benefits of return to work; 3. RTW Program guidelines; 4. Who can benefit from the RTW Program; 5. Players involved in the RTW Program; 6. Occupational Fitness Assessment Form (OFAF); 7. Temporary Modified Work Agreement Form (TMWF); 8. Roles and responsibilities of employees, supervisors, unions, HR Advisor and RTW Program Advisor; 9. Participation of the employees on the RTW Program; 10. Civilian RTW Satisfaction Questionnaire 11. Questions.

Primary RTW Program Objective • Encourage return to work of employees who have experienced an injury or illness disability in a safe and timely manner in order to minimize the negative impacts related to the injury or illness on employees and organization. • This program: – Focuses on the individual’s abilities (not disabilities); – Stresses return to regular work as its primary goal; – Maintains the fundamental relationship between supervisor and employee;

Detailed Objectives of the RTW Program • Restore the productive capacity of employees which enhances their physical, social and psychological rehabilitation; • Assist employees with work arrangements or vocational adjustments if necessary to enable them to return to work promptly; • Directly reduce the workplace costs of injuries/ illnesses as well as to reduce the costly consequences that such injuries/ illnesses bring to all parties, including families of the injured employee; • Elevate workplace morale and improve the labour relations environment.

Importance of Early Intervention According to research, it is shown that employees absent from work for a shorter period following an injury or illness receive a complete and faster recovery than those who spend their convalescence at home. Inactivity contributes to the degradation of the physical and psychological capacities. • After an absence of 6 months, the success rate of returning to work is reduced to 50%

What are the benefits of returning to work? • For the employee: • For the organization: • Major source of self-esteem; • Helps maintain contact with friends and colleagues; • Helps retain occupational skills; • Ensures financial stability; • Reduces stress and anxiety; • Etc. • Reduces directs cost associated with injuries and illnesses (e. g. : WCB costs and administrative fees); • Reduces indirect costs associated with injuries and illnesses (e. g. : overtime paid to cover absence/ training of substitutes); • Maintains a skilled and experienced manpower; • Ensures compliance with legal requirements; • Etc.

Civilian Employees’ RTW Program Guidelines • Joint Commitment Program (Management and unions’ involvement); • Early and timely intervention ; • Adaptability/ flexibility (search of solutions); • Personnel support; • Cooperation (employee/ supervisor); • Respect of confidential status; • Appropriate management (between DND, HR, Health Canada, WCB, Sun Life, HRSDC).

WHO can benefit from the RTW Program? DND civilian employees nominated for a determinate and indeterminate period: – Having sustained a workplace injury or occupational disease (injury or disease related to work); – Having sustained a personal injury (not related to work); – Having incurred a personal illness (not related to work);

WHO are the players involved in the RTW Program? • RTW Program Advisor • RTW Committee • Injured or ill employee • Union • Supervisor / Manager • HR Advisor • Medical community • Case manager: WCB/ Sun Life • Health Canada

RTW Program Step-by-Step • Determine the modified work to ensure the return of the employee; • Establish a temporary modified work agreement (employee / supervisor); • Adjust the modified work in consideration of the employee’s needs; • Ensure a follow-up until the employee returns to his regular workplace (work occupied before the leave).

What is “modified” work? • It is work adapted to the abilities and medical restrictions of the employee that present no risks for their health and safety: – Modification of tasks (e. g. : equipment used, list of tasks, production quotas); – Adjustment of work schedule (progressive return to work); – Different work; – Teleworking; – Etc. * Note that the modified work requires an individual assessment that should meet the specific needs of the injured or ill employee.

Process to Establish the Modified Work: OFAF • The supervisors fill out their sections on the OFAF ® Required work capacities, e. g. : 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. ® Spinal movements; Sitting/ standing activities; Physical work environment (e. g. : exposure to hazardous material); Schedule demands (e. g. : overtime); Mental demands (e. g. : Decision making). The doctor determines the work restrictions/ limitations of the employee, specifies the RTW date (regular functions) or the medical reassessment date.

Occupational Fitness Assessment Form (OFAF)

Temporary Modified Work Agreement (TMWA) • Agreement established between the employee and their supervisor; • Sets out the restrictions of the employee and the approved modified work to be performed during the temporary period; • Remains flexible and subject to adjustment regarding the needs of the employees; • Must be approved by the medical practitioner of the employee.

Follow-Up of the TMWA At the ending date of the TMWA (i. e. medical reassessment date or recovery date), 2 options are possible : 1. New OFAF New TMWA 2. New OFAF Employee returns to his regular work

Roles & Responsibilities of the Players Involved in the RTW Program

Roles & Responsibilities of Employees • Report your injury/ illness to your supervisor without delay; • Receive medical attention; • Ensure your medical practitioner completes the OFAF and submits it to your supervisor without delay (functional limitations and RTW date). Costs for completing the OFAF will be charged to the patient and then reimbursed by the DND; • Sign any consent forms required by the DND/ WCB/Sun Life; • In case of a workplace related injury/ illness, fill the WCB Worker’s Claim form specific to your province and submit it to your supervisor;

Roles & Responsibilities of Employees (con’t) • Cooperate with your supervisor to determine the best way to facilitate return to work; • Sign the TMWA and let your supervisor know immediately if you experience any problems with the modified duty; • Participate in all medical and vocational rehabilitation activities designated to facilitate return to work; • Complete all necessary leave forms.

Roles & Responsibilities of the Union • Participate actively in RTW case management when the employee requests representation (be part of the RTW committee); • Participate in the RTW Employee Awareness Course; • Advising on union issues; • Representing your members in the development/administration of your local RTW Program;

Roles & Responsibilities of Supervisors • Ensure that the injured/ ill employee has received necessary medical attention; • Inform the RTW Program advisor of all cases of workplace related injury or illness and all cases of civilian employee on extended personal sick leave; • In case of a workplace accident, fill out the form DND 663 : Hazardous Occurrence Report, send it to the UGSO and proceed with any corrective action; • Fill out the supervisor’s sections on OFAF and ask the employee to have it filled by his medical practitioner;

Roles & Responsibilities of Supervisors (con’t) • By using the complete OFAF, establish the RTW plan and meet the employee to complete the TMWA; • In case of a workplace accident, fill out the WCB Employer Notice form and send to … (insert local process) within 48 hours; • Maintain regular contact with the employee to ensure that the modified duties continue to be within the employee’s functional abilities (adjusting if required); • Undertake approved modifications to the workplace to respect the TMWA; • Ensure all necessary leave forms are completed;

Roles & Responsibilities of the HR Advisor • Assist in identifying modified and/ or alternate work situations; • Assist in coordinating the employee reintegration plans; • Assist in determining appropriate action pertaining to long-term absences; • HR representation on RTW Committee; • Ensure staffing services in case the employee can’t return to regular work; • Support compensation services (management of claims forms, advising compensation agencies when employees return to work, liaising with HRSDC, advising employees on their pay and benefits)

Roles & Responsibilities of the RTW Program Advisor: • Be notified on all cases of workplace related injury/ illness; • Be notified on all cases of civilian on extended sick leave du to a personal injury or illness; • Administrate the Local RTW Program and monitor the progress of each case; • Assist managers and supervisors in the application of the RTW Program; • Liaise with WCB/ Sun Life/ Health Canada/ HRSDC.

Participation of Employees in the RTW Program • Departmental policy which required the employee’s agreement to establish a personal RTW Plan; • If an agreement is not reached, follow the agreement process below: Level 1: Supervisor Employee Level 2: Manager + Union Level 3: RTW Program Advisor Level 4: RTW Committee Level 5: Case Manager • If the employee refuses to participate in the RTW Program: Risk of affecting his benefits.

In Conclusion… • The RTW process is done in a more harmonious way and is more successful when it starts earlier in the convalescence period of the injured or ill employee. • The key of success of the RTW Program rests on: – The flexibility and responsiveness of the supervisor on searching solutions to encourage the employee’s return to work; – The cooperation of the latter to determine the best way to facilitate his return; – Open communication between supervisor and employee durig the absence and during the RTW process.

Civilian Return to Work Satisfaction Questionnaire Survey Objective Your Participation • • The Directorate of General Safety (D Safe G) wishes to measure the satisfaction of civilian employees who have participated in a Return to Work (RTW) process following an absence from the workplace due to an injury or illness. By learning more about your experiences during your absence from work and the RTW process, the department can work to improve current policies, processes and organizational functioning that influence a safe and timely RTW. The findings of this study will be used to enhance the DND Civilian Employee Return to Work Program and will play an important part to effective disability management initiatives within the department. Your participation in this questionnaire is voluntary. All responses will be kept confidential and reported only in an aggregate format. To further safeguard your anonymity and privacy, you should not write your name or service number anywhere on this questionnaire. Second, you should ensure that any written comments you may offer are sufficiently general that you cannot be identified as the author. We estimate the questionnaire will take about 15 minutes to complete. Thank you for your time. If you should have any concerns or questions you can contact the National Civilian Health and Return to Work Coordinator at 613 -996 -4400.

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