Employee Return to Work

The Return to Work (RTW) Guidelines are designed to assist in providing temporary transitional work assignments to employees unable to perform their usual jobs due to temporary injuries and/or illnesses.

Philosophy

1. San Francisco State University creates safe and productive work opportunities for employees with temporary injuries and/or illnesses.
   1. San Francisco State University utilizes a collaborative, consultative, decision-making process incorporating services of Disability Programs, Human Resources, Environment, Health, and Safety and other University areas as appropriate.
2. Recommended Process
   1. Treating physician releases employees to temporary transitional work.
   2. Employees provide University with a primary treating physician’s description of temporary work restrictions.
   3. Employees, the Workers' Compensation team and supervisors engage in the interactive process to identify and create temporary transitional work assignments that conform to the temporary work restrictions.
   4. Supervisor determines start date for temporary transitional work assignment, documents the assignment and supervisor and employee sign and dates the assignment.
   5. Supervisor provides the employee and ERM with a copy of the assignment.
   6. Employee starts temporary transitional work assignment as agreed upon
   7. Supervisor reviews/modifies and supports employee in the return to work program
   8. Temporary Transitional Work assignments will be reviewed after 3 months, to assess progress and determine if a referral to Disability Programs is recommended. 
3. Outcomes
   1. Productive and engaged workforce.
   2. Recognition of employee skills and abilities.
   3. Decreased wage and benefit loss due to uncompensated time away from work.
   4. Collaborative contribution to a safe, healthy and productive University.
   5. Timely, comprehensive and effective assistance, which supports the healing process