Exam 13: Disability Management and Return to Work

Linh is a consultant who trains human resource managers on issues relating to disability management. She starts her sessions with a reminder of the legislated responsibility of employers to accommodate workers who are attempting to return to work following an injury or illness. She notes that this can occur via changes in job tasks and/or the work environment to enable workers with a temporary or permanent disability to perform work productively. Which of the following is Linh reminding the HR managers of?

Governments support disability management programs through legislation.

Professionals with sufficient experience working in disability management and with the appropriate education can write national exams to earn which of the following certifications?

Each year approximately how many workplace incidents occur worldwide?

Who is often overlooked when planning modified work arrangements for an injured worker?

Canada does not currently have a federal law that protects persons with disabilities..

Explain the concept of an integrated claims management and monitoring system and describe the benefits of having one as part of disability management.

What is the key benefit to senior management from integrated claims management?

Nathan Steinberg has just become the new HR manager at a large nursery, which happens to be one of Canada's largest growers of potted plants. Their company sells traditional and seasonal products on a year-round basis to smaller garden centres as well as to large chain retailers. The company has grown rapidly over the past five years, but, as part of his review of the company's HR situation, Nathan has noted a rising trend of disability claims, often due to recurring injuries, that are keeping workers off the job multiple times for extended periods of time. How should he go about changing this situation in a way that will protect and restore worker health while supporting the company's growth? Put together a short-term and a long-term plan, using the best practices identified in disability management research.

Which of the following is NOT considered a best practice in disability management?

What is the key benefit to the worker from integrated claims management?

Disability management programs are viewed as more successful when injured workers report exhibit fewer symptoms.

Asher is a return-to-work coordinator. Today he is considering how the demands of an airline mechanic's job relate to an injured mechanic's current physical ability in an effort to design a modified work plan. What tools is Asher using?

Which of the following terms is associated with "proactive practices with the goals of preventing or reducing workplace disability, intervening early in the face of risk or injury, and providing coordinated management and rehabilitation functions to promote worker's recovery and safe timely return to work"?

Sofia is a psychology graduate student whose research project assesses the impact of disability management programs. Which of the following outcome factors is she LEAST likely to include in her research?

List the seven types of stakeholders in disability management, and explain their role in an early and safe return to work. (Note: you can choose to have students list all seven, but explain only three or four roles if a shorter answer is desirable.)

A value of disability management programming is reduced incidence and impact of workplace injury and illness.

When can a disability management program be most effective?

Tarek is returning to work after six months off following an acute back injury at work ultimately requiring surgery. What organizational practice may sabotage his return by making him feel stigmatized?

Anthony is an IT technician who injured his neck while installing a large new system. After several weeks' recovery time he is returning to work under his physician's care for a probationary period to see if he can withstand the demands of his job. What is Anthony's modified work arrangement best defined as?