Washington State University
SAFETY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL

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Return-to-Work Policy

When an employee is off work due to an occupational illness or injury, the home department is responsible for facilitating the employee's earliest possible return to productivity.

This section describes WSU's return-to-work policy and program in conformance with WAC 357-19-505 through 535.

The Office of Human Resource Services coordinates the return-to-work program for WSU.

To be eligible for the return-to-work program an employee must:

• Have an occupational illness or injury which makes him or her unable to return to previous assignments, and


• Be capable of carrying out work of a lighter or modified nature as evidenced by a written statement from a physician.

Departmental administrators are responsible for ensuring that each supervisor attends at least one training session regarding the return-to-work program. Human Resource Services (HRS) conducts the training sessions. Contact HRS for a schedule of supervisory training.

Immediately following an employee's report of an industrial accident/illness which will result in one eight-hour day or more of work lost, the immediate supervisor or other designated individual notifies Human Resource Services by telephone.

The employee's supervisor completes the top half of a Physician's Report form. Print the master in the PDF version of S25.30.3 or complete onscreen and print to obtain supplies of the form.

The department sends the partially completed form to the employee's doctor. The form is mailed or sent with the employee.

Departmental personnel contact the employee at least weekly for an update regarding the employee's condition and expected recovery date. The department is to encourage the off-work employee to attend department meetings and training sessions if the employee is physically able.

While the employee is recovering, the department maintains contact with the treating physician.

The department or employee asks the physician to establish a date by which the employee can return to work in any capacity if he or she cannot yet perform regular duties.

The department identifies departmental duties within the employee's physical capacity. (The department may request assistance from Human Resource Services.) The duties may be a temporary modification of the employee's regular duties. One option is part-time work with gradually increasing hours.

• Human Resource Services may consult with vocational specialists regarding modification of job duties. The department or employee secures the physician's written approval of the proposed duties.


• Modified duty work is to be defined in writing with an appropriate time limit, e.g., 30 days, 60 days.


• Temporary modified work may be temporary (hourly) paid work.


• The department offers the temporary duties to the employee.

The department or employee contacts the physician at the end of each time limit and asks whether the employee has an increased physical capacity. Hours and duties are adjusted accordingly until the employee returns to regular duties.

NOTE: If the department does not provide temporary modified-duty work for the employee, the University may provide suitable temporary work in another department if such work is available. All wages are paid by the original employing department in such cases.

A reasonable accommodation request is a request from an employee that the University provide alternative employment which accommodates the employee's disabilities.

If an employee believes that reasonable accommodation is a consideration, he or she should consult with Human Resource Services.(BPPM 60.21; WAC 357-26)