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Healthy approaches

Canadian union CAW has produced a Return to work or modified work checklist. It says:

• The union should be involved in a "joint return to work (modified work) committee, playing a meaningful role" in: developing comprehensive job descriptions; job design; analysing and identifying appropriate preventive measures; consulting the worker; and defining the individual return to work plan.

• The union should receive relevant documentation relating to industrial injuries payments and assessments of "functional abilities."

• The programme should treat employees with work-related and non work-related disabilities in the same way.

• The programme should include employees with permanent disabilities as well as temporary disabilities.

• The return to work plan should be based on, and tailored to, the individual workers needs. It should last as long as required.

• The programme must respect the medical confidentiality of the employee and the advice of the employee's medical practitioner.

• The work that the employee returns to should: Be constructive; be rehabilitative; be at a point where the worker is ready for it and will benefit from it and will assist the worker in re-integration into the work force.

• Negotiated workplace agreements should apply equally to the injured worker.

• Any layoff provisions for the injured worker should be the same as if he or she was not injured.

• The wages of the injured employee should be the same as if he or she had not been injured.

• The first preference of the programme should be to: modify the worker's job using the principles of ergonomics - adjusting the job to the worker (Hazards 56) - to benefit the worker, prevent further injuries, and assist the injured worker in reintegrating into the workforce.

Summarised from a checklist in CAW Health, safety and environment newsletter, May/June 2002.

To see CAW's Health, safety and Environment Newsletter go here

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