Transitional Work Warehouse

Identifying light-duty or modified jobs in your organization is a critical step in your return-to-work program. They provide opportunities for employees to begin working again as soon as possible within medical restrictions. Pro-actively developing transitional work tasks helps save your organization valuable time once an injury occurs.

Transitional and light-duty work examples

SFM has developed industry-specific lists of potential light-duty jobs. Use these to help build your organization's repository of transitional tasks.

• Construction 
• Healthcare 
• Manufacturing 
• Schools and religious organizations 
• Service industry 

Suggest an addition to these lists 

Tips for identifying transitional work

• Be creative
  Look at the recuperating employee's medical restrictions and find tasks that fit within them.
• Keep an updated list of transitional tasks
  Include the physical requirements each would require. If an employee is injured, pull out your list to create a custom-made transitional job.
• Create a job jar
  Keep track of tasks that get ignored during your busy season, or extra outdoor work that can be done in warmer weather, or inside jobs in the winter.
• Think of seasonal jobs
  Ask employees to think of tasks they need to get done but can't find time to do. When you need a transitional job, look through your job jar to find tasks that comply with the injured employee's medical restrictions.

Ways to comply with medical restrictions

• Part-time work
  Medical restrictions may limit an employee from working full time, but you can get the employee back to work part-time. With the treating physician's permission, the employee can gradually increase hours as he or she improves.
• Modify the original job
  Sometimes this is as easy as changing the way a task is done. Be inventive, especially in making no-cost alterations in the way equipment is used. Keep in mind that sometimes these may become permanent changes.
• Work hardening or conditioning
  An employee who is recovering from an injury and not physically ready to perform work functions may be prescribed a work conditioning program by the treating physician. The employee simulates actual work duties to regain strength, mobility and flexibility. Help the physician tailor the program to the employee's specific work duties.
• Lower wage
  It's fine to bring an employee back to work in a different position at a reduced wage, if necessary.
• Different department
  If coming up with transitional work is difficult, consider moving the employee to a different department. This may be the only way to get some employees back to work. If your organization is union-affiliated, check union policy to make sure this is acceptable.

HIPAA medical privacy

State law allows employers to have access to injured employees' medical records so they can see the work restrictions ordered by the treating doctor. If you're not getting needed information from a medical provider, contact your SFM claims representative for assistance.
   Learn more about handling medical records 

SFM's Employer Kit contains more detailed information on transitional jobs. Learn more 

If you have questions about how to identify transitional jobs, or any other aspects of transitional work, call your SFM claims or loss prevention representative at (952) 838-4200 or (800) 937-1169.

Related SFM resources

• Return-to-work: A basic policy CompTalk
• Return-to-work: An advanced look CompTalk

These resources, plus more on other topics, are available in SFM's Resource Catalog.