Workplace Safety & Insurance Coverage - wsib

Chapter 5 -Getting your worker better and back to work
Returning the injured person to work
It is the shared responsibility of the employer and
worker to arrange for the worker’s early and safe return
to work. Most injured workers can return to some type
of work even while they are still recovering.
Return to work rights and responsibilities
As with any insurance policy, there are both rights and
responsibilities for those covered. When a worker is
injured and away from work, both the worker and
employer have certain legal rights and responsibilities
that support return to work efforts.
BOTH the employer and employee must
■ contact each other as soon as possible after the
injury happens
■ stay in contact throughout the recovery period
■ work cooperatively to identify suitable and
available work for the worker to come back to
■ provide the WSIB with information about the
worker’s return to work.
Cooperation is critical
If you don’t cooperate, as the employer, you could be
fined. If your employee doesn’t cooperate, benefits
could be reduced or stopped.
Did you know
It’s the employer’s responsibility to make modifications
to the work or the workplace if it will enable the
worker to return to either the pre-injury or another
suitable and available job.
Employers who regularly employ 20 or
more workers have a legal
responsibility to re-employ a worker if
the worker has been employed
continuously for at least one year
before the injury.
WSIB return to work services
A team of caring professionals is dedicated to helping
your injured worker recover and help you bring them
back to work.
Adjudicator
The adjudicator
■ is responsible for all ongoing entitlement issues
■ will monitor progress towards arranging the
worker’s return to work
■ can suggest options for bringing your
worker back to work, and
■ will make decisions on whether the
work is suitable.
Call the adjudicator and request assistance if you
have difficulty
■ maintaining contact with the injured worker
■ accommodating the pre-injury job or
■ agreeing to suitable work.
Nurse case manager
Our service team includes a registered nurse to help
make sure that workers with serious or complicated
injuries receive quality health care at the right time.
Our focus is getting your worker better and back to
work.
Your worker’s nurse case manager coordinates care
for your worker, as required. Although these nurses do
not make diagnoses or treatment decisions, they will
ensure your worker has access to and understands
recommended treatment.
The nurse also monitors the treatment plan to
make sure that it is effective. If there are problems, the
nurse will work with your worker and the health care
provider(s) to
■ reassess the plan
■ make improvements, and
■ help resolve difficulties.
Most injured workers can return to some type of work even while they
are still recovering.
25