Healthcare and Disability Management-Questions and
Answers
Workmen's Compensation return to work hierarchy Correct Ans--Return to same job, same
employer
• Return to different job, same employer
• Return to same job, different employer
• Return to different job/different employer
• Formal training
The following groups of employees are typically excluded from workers' compensation laws:
Correct Ans-• Railroad workers, federal employees, longshoremen, and harbor workers
have separate workers' compensation laws.
• Domestic, agricultural, religious, and charitable occupations and professional athletes are
exempt.
• Some employers with fewer than a specified number of employees (usually 1-5 - varies per
state).
Temporary total disability Correct Ans-If an employee is totally unable to work for a period
of time, but is expected to recover and return to work, he/she can receive weekly income
replacement benefits after a waiting period.
Temporary partial disability (TPD) Correct Ans-These benefits are paid when the employee
is partially disabled from his/her regular job temporarily. The employee usually works part-
time or in a lower paying position while recovering
, Healthcare and Disability Management-Questions and
Answers
Permanent partial disability Correct Ans-This is a lump sum payment (in many states)
based on a fixed schedule depending on what part of the body is injured. Non-scheduled
injuries (such as head, back, heart, etc.) are computed based on wages lost between pre-
injury and post-injury earnings.
Disability Management Correct Ans-the prevention and minimization of the human and
economic impact of illness and disability for the employee/employer to optimize the quality
of care, productivity, organizational health, and regulatory compliance.
Disability management services include the following activities: Correct Ans-Disability
assessment and evaluation,
• Case management,
• Return-to-work intervention,
• Labor market analysis,
• Career exploration and counseling, and
• Reporting (plan development and report preparation).
Disability management expectations include: Correct Ans-Ensuring that employees can
continue to work productively and provide cost containment for the employer. Shrey and
Lacerte (1997) indicated that DM services are more effective when provided at the worksite
as often as is possible;
, Healthcare and Disability Management-Questions and
Answers
• Addressing the emotional, physical, medical, vocational, and organizational concerns of
individuals with disabilities. Disability prevention, safe return-to-work, and rehabilitation
programs are all involved in achieving this goal; and
• Planning and coordinating workers, management, health care providers, rehabilitation
professionals, and insurance carriers.
To minimize the impact of illness and disability on both the employer and employee, disability
management emphasizes: Correct Ans--Prevention: Ergonomics, safety, employee
assistance plans, wellness, and positive work practices such as lifelong learning and
establishing a work/life balance are key components of prevention.
• Early intervention: Case management and early intervention involve the employer,
employee, the union/employee representative, medical personnel, and insurance carrier
working together to anticipate and resolve potential problems.
• Return-to-work (RTW): Transitional alternative duties, ergonomics, attention to psychosocial
factors, and follow-up (including safety and productivity) are all factors that can influence a
successful transition back to work.
• Absence management: Anticipating the possibility of absences early - whether involving sick
pay, family and medical leave, or unauthorized time off - allows interventions to be set up to
reduce the chances of further disability or more significant work interruptions. Identifying
and planning for absences can positively contribute to the employee's overall productivity
and value.
• Presenteeism: Staying at work while experiencing health problems can result in slowed or
decreased performance, reduced work capacity, extra training time, errors, and inadequate
work results.