Return-to-work responsibilities

When a workplace injury or illness happens, we’ll work with you and your employee to get them back to safe and suitable work and get you back to business as usual.

Your responsibilities

1.  Report your employee’s injury or illness to us by submitting a Form 7.
2.  Get in touch with your employee as soon as possible after the injury or illness.
3.  Stay in touch with your employee throughout their recovery and return to work.
4.  Try to provide suitable work. Suitable work is work that:

  • is safe,
  • is productive,
  • is within your employee’s functional abilities, and
  • matches your employee’s pre-injury pay as closely as possible.

5.  Provide us with any information we request about your employee’s return to work.
6.  Offer to re-employ your employee if he or she can perform the essential duties of the pre-injury job or other suitable work.

7.  Let us know of any disputes or disagreements between you and your employee about their return to work.

8.  Co-operate in the return-to-work process. If you choose not to co-operate in the return-to-work process, we will educate you on your obligation. If you still do not co-operate, a penalty may be levied.  Read more about co-operating in the return-to-work process. 

Using the Functional Abilities Form

If you and your employee are planning for your return to suitable work, we will need functional abilities information. The Functional Abilities Form for Early and Safe Return to Work (PDF) provides information about your employee’s physical condition and their ability to work. A request for the form should only come from you or your employee and should only be completed when your employee is able to return to work. 

Your employee’s treating health-care professional (e.g., doctor, physiotherapist) will complete the form. The form will provide us with information about what you can do after a workplace injury or illness. Your employee’s treating health-care professional will identify their ability to walk, stand, sit, lift, and perform other work-related tasks. You and your employee can then use this information to identify jobs that they are capable of performing within the limits set out in the form.

For more information on the Functional Abilities Form, please review the

Guide to Completing the Functional Abilities Form
.

Our responsibilities

1.  Provide you and your employee with information to help you understand:

  •  what to expect throughout the return-to-work process;
  •  what is expected of you and your employee;
  •  your rights and responsibilities; and
  •  who to ask for help.

2.  Bridge the gap between you and your employee and monitor progress and co-operation. 
3.  Get and clarify information on your employee’s functional abilities.
4.  Help resolve any difficulties and disputes throughout the process.
5.  Decide whether you and your employee need our return-to-work services and if needed, provide return-to-work services to help arrange suitable work. This could include worksite visits to evaluate ergonomic and functional work capacity.
6.  Make all claim-related decisions.

More information