Return-To-Work programs are quickly leading the “cost containment pack” in terms of real dollars saved. The benefits outweigh the drawbacks as long as the program is carefully tailored to the specific employee, their individual injury, and the business needs at that point in time. Most employers have been hard pressed in the past to create a position in an individual’s department that safely allows an early return to work. Jobs created on the spur of the moment for this purpose often have no real function and only serve to increase the injured employee’s dissatisfaction with the Workers’ Compensation experience.
At Qual-Lynx, we know the benefits of effective return-to-work programs go beyond reducing Workers’ Compensation premiums. Our program, called A.D.A.P.T., stands for Alternative Duty As A Positive Transition. We designed this program to help our clients develop productive temporary assignments for their qualified injured employees. Once the program is in place, our managed care and claim representatives secure the medical and job related information necessary to begin the process. They assist our clients in determining the most effective and safe way to utilize this temporary “manpower”. They also work toward eliminating some of the socio-economic factors that often prohibit an employee from returning to work when they are fully recovered.
Employees have a better understanding about their employer’s concern for their welfare and recovery.
The employee remains in the work mode, not the “Oprah mode”.
Satisfaction in the Workers’ Compensation program may deter unnecessary legal involvement.
The employer has staffing to complete those “back burner projects” that never seem to get completed.
Opportunities to malinger are eliminated, fraudulent claims are reduced.
Overall claim costs are reduced, translating into premium reductions.
Statistics indicate these programs really work:
“By restoring an injured worker more quickly to productive work status, return to work programs have reduced costs by 33 to 78 percent.” Statistics Published by MNASC Workers’ Compensation Risk Management
“82% of those surveyed are using cost-containment initiatives which include return-to-work programs, and of the percentage of respondents who do use return-to-work programs, 91% rate the initiative as effective”. Statistics published by Tillinghast-Towers Perrin, 1996 Survey “Reality Testing”
“You save $96 for every $1 spent. You avoid the costs of retraining, temporary labor and equipment downtime. Also, because workers’ comp pays employees two-thirds of the employee’s average weekly wage, your claim costs increase each day an employee is out of work - even if he no longer works for you!” Statistics published by Northwestern National Life Insurance
