Using Rancho Mesa Resources for Return-to-Work Programs

Author, Jadyn Brandt, Client Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Avoiding injuries on the job should be every employers goal but despite their best efforts, injuries can still happen. If an employee’s ability to work is limited for an extended amount of time, that employee could be at risk of leaving their job or dropping out of the labor force entirely. Return-to-work programs are essential in managing the impact of work-related injuries or illnesses, and to help your employees successfully reintegrate to the workplace.

In addition to reducing the number of weeks an employee is not performing their normal job duties, developing a return-to-work program can be a cost-saving tool for employers by lowering workers’ compensation costs and eliminating the need for a new or temporary hire. An effective return-to-work program will allow an injured employee to recover, while supporting continued productivity through modified duties.

Timely Reporting of On-the-Job Injuries

The first step of ensuring an employee can safely return to work after an injury is making certain the employee receives proper and timely medical treatment. When an injury or illness occurs on the job, having clear and up-to-date policies is a necessity.

A sample Injury and Accident Response and Reporting Policy is available on Rancho Mesa’s RM365 HRAdvantage™ portal.

You may also be required to log the injury or illness in your OSHA 300 and 301 logs. Recording of OSHA logs are also available within the RM365 HRAdvantage portal. Additional information regarding OSHA log requirements can be found on the Rancho Mesa website.

Returning to Work Safely

When an employee is ready to return to work, a Release and Return to Work Acknowledgement letter should be provided to the returning employee that outlines their modified duties and accommodations. A template is available through the RM365 HRAdvantage portal.

An employee may be required to perform modified or reduced duties while preparing to return to their normal job. It is up to the employer to decide what tasks to assign an employee. Temporarily working for a non-profit organization, or completing online safety training can be used as a task or transitional step towards getting the employee back to their normal job duties.

Rancho Mesa provides two extensive libraries of safety and professional development trainings that can be useful in a return-to-work program. These safety trainings can be accessed through the SafetyOne platform, while the professional development trainings are located in the RM365 HRAdvantage portal.

For questions regarding Rancho Mesa’s resources for return-to-work programs, contact your Client Technology team member.