Establishing an AwardWinning Return to Work Program The Conference for Risk Retention Pools August 3

1
Establishing an Award-Winning Return to Work
ProgramThe Conference for Risk Retention
PoolsAugust 3, 2009

• Dawn Watkins
• Director, Integrated Disability Management
• Los Angeles Unified School District
• Connie Edwards
• Assistant Vice President
• Sedgwick CMS

2
Overview

• Background
• Steps to establishing a RTW program
• Profile of a successful RTW program

3
What is a Return to Work Program?

• A proactive approach to the earliest possible
  return of an injured employee to gainful
  employment in the workplace

4
RTW is a Win-Win

• Reduces financial burden for the injured worker,
  employer and pool
• Decreases disability duration
• Maintains productivity

5
Metrics Sell the Benefits of RTW

• Loss data
• Indemnity
• Disability duration
• Payroll data
• Overtime
• Replacement/substitute costs
• Sick time

6
4 Steps in Establishing a RTW Program

• Develop guiding principles objectives
• Design the process
• Assign roles responsibilities
• Measure, monitor and report

7
Develop Guiding Principles Objectives

• Establish key components
• Identify accountabilities
• Injured worker involvement
• Focus on abilities, not disabilities

8
Design the Process

• Action steps
• Flow charts
• Emergency plan
• Transitional work assignments

9
Key Stakeholders

• Injured Worker
• Manager/Supervisor
• Labor Union
• Health Care Provider
• Risk Manager
• Safety/Human Resource Manager
• Claims Administrator / Claims Manager

10
Assign Roles Responsibilities

• Each function or component must be clearly
  defined and communicated
• Team effort

11
Monitor, Measure Report

• Establish baseline
• Internal tracking methods
• Use language your organization understands
• Objective measures
• Indemnity dollars
• Lost work days
• Medical cost
• How frequently do you measure?
• Who receives the reports?

12
The Los Angeles Unified School District
13
LAUSD at a Glance

• 2nd largest school district in the nation
• 700,000 students, K-12
• 1,190 schools and other facilities
• 100,000 employees
• 6.364 billion operating budget

14
2008 National Recognition for Excellence

• Theodore Roosevelt Award
• Risk Innovator Award
• Awarded by Risk Insurance Magazine

15
Workers Compensation Program Highlights,
20032008

• 31 decrease in total claims amount paid
• 15 reduction in new claims filed
• 75 decrease in new litigated claims
• 24 decrease in open claims
• 46 reduction in lost work days

Source Sedgwick CMS
16
Lost Work Days Trend Downward
Source Sedgwick CMS
17
LAUSD Stay at Work Policy

• The Los Angeles Unified School District
  recognizes that its most valuable assets are its
  employees and is committed to implementing a
  comprehensive program to keep injured and/or ill
  employees in gainful, productive and rewarding
  employment. This policy ensures the fastest
  possible recovery for our employees. It is good
  for our employees. It is good for the education
  of our students.

18
Overview of SAW/RTW Process
19
How We Improved the RTW Program

• Transparency
• RTW policy
• Written guidelines
• Collaboration with TPA
• Communication strategy
• Coordination with Disability Management
• Metrics

20
Sustaining a Successful Program in a Recession

• Increase employer involvement
• Focus on Disability Management
• Accommodate disabilities
• Establish/ maintain relationship with treating
  physicians
• Invest in safety
• Continue to combat fraud and abuse

21
Questions?