After suffering an injury on the job, your main focus is on healing your body, but soon you will begin to think about returning to work. IN some situations, the return does not take too long and is fairly easy, but if you have a more complex injury, you may need some assistance to be able to go back to work.
The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry explains the Return-to-Work or R-T-W program can help you to prepare yourself to begin working again after a work accident.
The goal
The main focus of R-T-W is to help you recover fully or to find ways to adapt if full recovery is not necessary so that you can begin working again. The steps to do this all occur under watchful guidance to ensure you do not push too hard or go beyond your physical limits. The program should safely enable you to get back to your job.
Rehabilitation
R-T-W is like a rehabilitation program where multiple people will work with you to aid your recovery. The R-T-W program is a collaborative effort. You will have assistance from health care professionals, union representatives and your employer to find the best solutions for you.
Benefits
R-T-W benefits everyone in the process. It enables employers to reduce downtime and get employees back on the job quickly after an injury without risks to the employees’ health and safety. It allows unions to protect members’ interests, and it helps you to find a way to return to work without fear of reinjury.
The program is more tailored towards employers and having them become a major part of the efforts to help you get back to work after an injury. It helps to create a cohesive effort to assist you in any way possible while also managing your health needs.
