Deck 13: Disability Management and Return to Work

Question 1

What workplace disability indicator can provide the earliest information about the effectiveness of the disability management program?

A) associated costs
B) worker's quality of life
C) a sustained return to work
D) duration of the work disability

Answer 1

worker's quality of life

Question 2

What is an example of light-duty work, assigned due to a back injury, which does not involve work hardening?

A) a chef taking a leave of absence to write a cookbook
B) a hairdresser resuming work on a part-time basis
C) a road worker shifting to the road signal part of the crew (stop/go signal)
D) a nurse taking a new job in over the phone healthcare (Telehealth)

Answer 2

a road worker shifting to the road signal part of the crew (stop/go signal)

Question 3

What should supervisors avoid saying when the injured worker comes back to work?

A) "How are you feeling today?"
B) "So, tell me all about your occupational therapy program."
C) "There are some changes that I would like to go over with you."
D) "A number of your coworkers have said they will be happy to help you settle back in."

Answer 3

"So, tell me all about your occupational therapy program."

Question 4

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

A) more money
B) less concern about rehabilitation
C) more timely resolution of the claim
D) not having to deal with the people at Workers' Compensation

Question 5

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

A) the worker's family
B) the worker's coworkers
C) the workers' family physician
D) the worker's union representative

Question 6

How does case management facilitate the recovery of an injured worker?

A) through arrangement of quick, low-cost treatment
B) by motivating them to want to return to work
C) by coordinating care from different providers
D) by working with stakeholders on job redesign

Question 7

For supported and sheltered work, what is likely to be required to meet the duty to accommodate?

A) temporary changes to work tasks and the work environment
B) temporary changes to work tasks and permanent changes to the work environment
C) permanent changes to work tasks and temporary changes to the work environment
D) permanent changes to work tasks and permanent changes to the work environment

Question 8

Read the following scenario and answer questions.
Organizations have a long history of managing returns to work involving cases of physical disability. However, evidence from WCBs across Canada shows that claims involving disability due to mental health issues are the fastest growing segment of disability claims. Heavier workloads from flatter organizations and hiring freezes have put increased pressure on workers in many industries. Information and communication technologies have greatly increased the pace of work and blurred the boundaries between work time and non-work time (family time, leisure time, or community time). Mental health absences from work can also be as a result of being involved in or seeing a traumatic incident in the workplace.
In a case involving a mental health disability, what would receive more consideration under the systems approach than under the full recovery model?

A) the worker's response to anti-anxiety medication
B) the genetic predisposition to mental health issues
C) the availability of local anxiety/depression counsellors
D) the support for mental health in the company's EFAP

Question 9

What was the key event in Vancouver Coastal Health's overhaul of their disability management program?

A) bringing the program in-house
B) allocating more resources to the program
C) getting buy-in from senior management
D) working with the union on early intervention

Question 10

In the business case for disability management, what is an intangible benefit of effective disability management and return-to-work programs?

A) lower WCB premiums
B) maintenance of high productivity
C) higher job satisfaction of injured workers
D) improvement in the company's reputation

Question 11

Tarek is returning to work after three months off for carpal tunnel treatment, culminating in surgery. What organizational practice may sabotage his return by making him feel stigmatized?

A) changing his job to accommodate his current capabilities
B) posting photos of workers with perfect safety records in the cafeteria
C) holding an educational session for all workers on carpal tunnel syndrome
D) timing his return to coincide with a company picnic or other social event

Question 12

Read the following scenario and answer questions.
Organizations have a long history of managing returns to work involving cases of physical disability. However, evidence from WCBs across Canada shows that claims involving disability due to mental health issues are the fastest growing segment of disability claims. Heavier workloads from flatter organizations and hiring freezes have put increased pressure on workers in many industries. Information and communication technologies have greatly increased the pace of work and blurred the boundaries between work time and non-work time (family time, leisure time, or community time). Mental health absences from work can also be as a result of being involved in or seeing a traumatic incident in the workplace.
What can Raul insist on receiving under the duty to accommodate his return to work from a depression- related absence?

A) a different job
B) a transfer to a different workgroup
C) the ability to set his own schedule
D) a say in how he will be accommodated

Question 13

What is another term for "gradual work exposure"?

A) work trials
B) work hardening
C) work rehabilitation
D) phased return to work

Question 14

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

A) data on safety and disability management performance
B) identification of recurring injuries and less supportive departments
C) availability of information for planning return-to-work efforts and outcomes
D) tracking where an injured worker is in the recovery and rehabilitation process

Question 15

Who has less power in the return-to-work decision than in the past?

A) the union
B) the injured worker
C) the insurance company
D) the employee's physician

Question 16

When must employees consent to information being shared between the return-to-work coordinator and a healthcare provider involved in their recovery or rehabilitation?

A) when the healthcare provider wants to visit the work site
B) when the company has not dealt with the healthcare provider before
C) when the healthcare provider is a mental health professional
D) consent must be obtained for any and all information that might be shared

Question 17

Pareto analysis is also known as the 80/20 rule; historically 20% of people/equipment/customers account for 80% of outcomes. In what disability management best practice would Pareto analysis be a useful tool?

A) early intervention
B) prevention focus
C) work accommodation
D) people-focused climate

Question 18

Roohani is returning to work after a month and a half. What stage would her absence fall into, according to the textbook?

A) acute
B) chronic
C) subacute
D) subchronic

Question 19

What is the key function of a return-to-work coordinator?

A) getting the WCB to agree to fund treatment
B) working with the supervisor to develop new jobs
C) working with the injured employee to keep their spirits up
D) ensuring ongoing communication between the various stakeholders

Question 20

Read the following scenario and answer questions.
Organizations have a long history of managing returns to work involving cases of physical disability. However, evidence from WCBs across Canada shows that claims involving disability due to mental health issues are the fastest growing segment of disability claims. Heavier workloads from flatter organizations and hiring freezes have put increased pressure on workers in many industries. Information and communication technologies have greatly increased the pace of work and blurred the boundaries between work time and non-work time (family time, leisure time, or community time). Mental health absences from work can also be as a result of being involved in or seeing a traumatic incident in the workplace.
In the case of a mental health disability, what is most likely to be the key driver of the costs associated with a chronic mental health disability?

A) wage replacement costs
B) professional counselling
C) prescription medication
D) occupational therapy

Question 21

The return-to-work coordinator is usually an employee of a third party disability management company.

Question 22

As a result of feeing stigmatized, some injured employees may return to work too early.

Question 23

Disability management is about prevention as well as restoration of worker health.

Question 24

The REHADAT Canada database can help new return-to-work coordinators and case managers become effective in their jobs in a shorter period of time.

Question 25

Early intervention is required only for WCB claims.

Question 26

Read the following scenario and answer questions.
Organizations have a long history of managing returns to work involving cases of physical disability. However, evidence from WCBs across Canada shows that claims involving disability due to mental health issues are the fastest growing segment of disability claims. Heavier workloads from flatter organizations and hiring freezes have put increased pressure on workers in many industries. Information and communication technologies have greatly increased the pace of work and blurred the boundaries between work time and non-work time (family time, leisure time, or community time). Mental health absences from work can also be as a result of being involved in or seeing a traumatic incident in the workplace.
What can a return-to-work coordinator do to ensure that negative stereotypes of people with mental illness do not result in a returning worker feeling stigmatized?

A) keep the employee's reason for absence private and confidential
B) help to develop and make available a mental health assessment for all employees
C) transfer the worker to a supervisor who has also experienced a mental health issue
D) ensure coworkers cannot transfer to other jobs/workgroups to avoid the returning worker

Question 27

A benefit of disability management is to reduce the direct WCB cost.

Question 28

Disability management programs are most effective when developed and applied using the full recovery model.

Question 29

Read the following scenario and answer questions.
Organizations have a long history of managing returns to work involving cases of physical disability. However, evidence from WCBs across Canada shows that claims involving disability due to mental health issues are the fastest growing segment of disability claims. Heavier workloads from flatter organizations and hiring freezes have put increased pressure on workers in many industries. Information and communication technologies have greatly increased the pace of work and blurred the boundaries between work time and non-work time (family time, leisure time, or community time). Mental health absences from work can also be as a result of being involved in or seeing a traumatic incident in the workplace.
What might be a prudent way for Wenxi to find out if going back to the same job is a viable option after a few weeks of treatment for an anxiety disorder?

A) a work trial
B) supportive work
C) light duty work
D) work hardening

Question 30

The duty to accommodate is mandated by the legislation of every province and territory.