Identifying transitional jobs

Don't limit yourself. Instead, look at the recuperating employee's medical restrictions and find job tasks that fit within them. The important thing is that the employee is able to stay productive while healing.

TIP: Keep an updated "transitional tasks log"
Include a list of tasks and duties, and the physical requirements each would entail.

Then if an employee is injured, pull out tasks from your task log that fit within specific medical restrictions. This allows you to create a "custom-made" transitional job for the recuperating employee.

TIP: Create a "job jar"
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.

TIP: Find seasonal jobs the employee can do
Keep track of tasks that get ignored during your busy season, or extra outdoor work that can be done in warmer weather. If you have employees doing outdoor transitional work already, think of inside jobs that can be done in the winter months.

Ways to comply with medical restrictions

Part-time work
Medical restrictions may limit an employee from working full time. However, the employee may
be able to work for a few hours a day, or a
couple days a week. Then, with her physician's permission, the employee can gradually increase her hours as she improves until she is back at work full time.

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, and keep in mind that sometimes these may become permanent changes. Modifying the job might also mean allowing an injured worker to focus his work time only on the tasks he can do safely.

Lower wage
It's OK to bring an employee back to work in
a different position at a reduced wage, even temporarily. His worker's compensation benefits will pay the employee half of the difference between his pre-injury wage and the transitional lower-wage job.

Different department
Sometimes employers can't find transitional
work for employees because they don't give
enough thought to 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.

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.