A Stay-at-Work/Return-to-Work (SAW/RTW) program helps to improve health outcomes for injured/ill employees, increases the likelihood of employee returning back to the work force on a full time basis, and reduces costs for the company. Employee involvement and cooperation is vital for the success of the SAW/RTW program. Organizations must be committed to the implementation of an effective SAW/RTW program for employees with injuries/illnesses that is designed to help those employees return to meaningful, productive employment. Stay at Work planning is directed at those individuals who have sustained a minor injury/illness and do not need to lose time from work, but may benefit from temporary transitional work modifications. Return to Work planning is directed at those individuals who have lost time from work due to an injury/illness and need to be re-introduced back into the workplace. Organizations should make every effort to provide the employee with transitional duties when they are unable to do the essential duties of their pre-injury/illness job.
We recognize the importance of ensuring that employees are supported through a health-related absence due to illness or injury by:
- Addressing the potential impact of loss of income;
- Recognizing the importance of maintaining normal relationships and routines as much as possible to assist in full recovery;
- Obtaining clarification of any aspects of the illness or injury that may affect the ability to perform all or part of the job duties, and;
- Restore the employee to their fullest physical, psychological, social, vocational and economic level possible and, where possible, provide the worker with transitional duties.
Section 10 – Program Element
Section 10 – Program Tool
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