Return to Work

Operational Standard/Purpose

Illinois Central College provides temporary modified-duties for employees who are partially disabled due to work related illness or injuries as long as this will not cause any harm to the employee, others, or college property. Each department will attempt to temporarily accommodate employees who cannot perform the basic duties of their job, while on restrictive duties as defined by a physician.

Scope/Applicability

Refer to the Employee Handbook for additional information.

Procedures

1. Employee’s Responsibilities: Employees are responsible for the following:
   1. Reporting all job-related injuries and any medical restrictions to the Manager, Benefits, Leaves, Risk Management, and Safety and to their immediate Manager.
   2. Keeping the Manager, Benefits, Leaves, Risk Management, and Safety and their Manager informed of any change in job-related restrictions. This requires notifying the Manager, Benefits, Leaves, Risk Management, and Safety of status of illness/injury following each doctor visit and provide appropriate medical documentation on status of injury or illness. At the discretion of the workers’ compensation carrier, the employee may be asked to see a physician that the carrier designates.
   3. Adhering to all medical advice and directives as prescribed by the treating physician, nurse, or other medically qualified professional. The employee shall not perform any activity which is not in accordance with job-related restrictions, both on and off the job. If the employee feels that tasks have been assigned which violate these restrictions, he or she should immediately inform his or her supervisor and to the Manager, Benefits, Leaves, Risk Management, and Safety. Failure to adhere to any medical restrictions may result in disciplinary action.
   4. If assigned to a modified assignment, keep medical or rehabilitation appointments, participate in follow-up rehabilitation treatment as necessary, and inform the Manager of any changes in restrictions. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action and loss of workers compensation benefits.
   5. Presenting a physician’s release to return to work to the Manager, Benefits, Leaves, Risk Management, and Safety and the immediate Manager, before returning to work from a Worker's Compensation leave of absence. The physician's release must be signed by the physician with the date of return and restrictions, if any.
2. Manager’s Responsibilities: Managers are responsible for the following:
   1. Assigning employee jobs which can accommodate their restrictions. If no jobs are available within the department, contact the Manager, Benefits, Leaves, Risk Management, and Safety to discuss options or arrange for departmental transfer.
   2. Ensuring that the employee is complying with job-related restrictions as noted on the modified duty form.
   3. Compiling and maintaining a list of departmental job duties that meet light duty requirements. This list should be updated yearly and kept on file.
   4. On evening shifts, night shifts, and weekends, modification of job duties may be made at any time by the Manager of an employee who has reported an injury, until the employee requires other medical attention.
3. Program Coordinator Responsibilities: The Manager, Benefits, Leaves, Risk Management, and Safety coordinates the Return to Work program. Program coordination includes:
   1. Evaluating special assignments and/or modified duties, in addition to regular duties, after taking into consideration the employee’s medical restrictions. The Program Coordinator may question any medical directives which may not be clearly understood.
   2. Decisions regarding the appropriateness of modified duty and contacts with the affected employee, the employee’s supervisor, labor representatives, and medical personnel.
   3. Arrangement of temporary work assignments for modified duty employees when no appropriate work is available within the employee’s regular department. The assignment may be in another College department or if necessary using temporary transitional employment outside the College. Reasonable attempts will be made to allow the employee to remain in his or her original classification or job function with modified duties.
   4. Serving as the primary contact with all physicians and medical professionals, and providing information on an injured employee’s current job description, the modified duty policy, and the types of modified duty which are available.
   5. Providing physicians with periodic updates and any change of status relating to the modified duty program including additional information requested by medical professionals.

Additional Provisions/Information

Medical Re-evaluation: Employees may be re-evaluated by a College-designated physician when released to full duty by their treating physician to determine their ability to return to full duty. This will apply to both work related and non-work related injuries and illness.