Early and Safe Return to Work. The Hospital and the Union are committed to a consistent, fair approach to meeting the needs of disabled workers, to restoring them to work which is meaningful for them and valuable to the Hospital, and to meeting the parties’ responsibilities under the law. To that end, the Hospital and the Union agree to cooperate in facilitating the return to work of disabled employees. The Employer and the Union agree that ongoing and timely communication by all participants in this process is essential to the success of the process.
(a) At the regular HAC meeting or at least bi-monthly the Employer will provide an updated list of information to the bargaining unit president including the following:
i) Nurses absent from work because of disability who are in receipt of Workplace Safety and Insurance Board benefits;
ii) Nurses absent from work because of disability who are in receipt of Long Term Disability benefits including the last day worked;
iii) Nurses who have been absent from work because of disability for more than twenty-four (24) months;
iv) Nurses who are currently on a temporary modified work program;
v) Nurses who are currently permanently accommodated in the workplace;
vi) Nurses awaiting temporary modified work;
vii) Nurses awaiting permanent accommodation in the workplace.
(b) A disabled nurse returning to work from a disability including WSIB to a modified/light/alternative work program, will have a joint Return to Work Team (RTW) attend a return to work meeting. The RTW team will be comprised of the Bargaining Unit President or designate, the Occupational Health representative, the manager and Human Resources. If the Bargaining Unit President or designate attends RTW meetings on her day off, she / he will receive pay at straight time or time in lieu where possible for hours spent in RTW meetings. Such hours are invisible for the purposes of determining premium. L-2 The nurse will advise her manager and Occupational Health Services that she wishes to return to work. A disabled nurse who is ready to return to work will provide the Occupational Health Service with medical verification of her ability to return to work including information regarding any restrictions.
Early and Safe Return to Work. The Hospital and the Union both recognize their obligations in facilitating the early and safe return to work of disabled employees. The Hospital and the Union agree that ongoing and timely communication by all participants in this process is essential to the success of the process.
Early and Safe Return to Work. The Hospital and the Union both recognize their obligations in facilitating the early and safe return to work of disabled nurses. The Hospital and the Union agree that ongoing and timely communication by all participants in this process is essential to the success of the process.
(a) A Return to Work Committee (RWC) will be established for the Bargaining Unit, and at least one member of which will be a representative of the Union. The committee will meet as required when a member of the bargaining unit is returning to work from sick leave or injury. The Union member will suffer no loss of regular earnings for attendance at such meetings. If the Union member is required to attend on their day off they will receive pay at straight time or time in lieu where possible for hours spent in return to work meetings. Such hours are invisible for the purpose of determining premium. The Hospital will provide an updated list of information to the RWC before each meeting and on a monthly basis, including the following:
i) Nurses absent from work because of disability who are in receipt of Workplace Safety Insurance Board benefits;
ii) Nurses absent from work because of disability who are in receipt of Long Term Disability benefits including last day worked;
iii) Nurses who required temporary or permanent accommodation in the workplace. Should the committee not meet monthly, the Employer will provide the above information to the Bargaining Unit President or designate on a monthly basis.
(b) It is understood that it is the obligation of the disabled nurse in receipt of short-term or long-term disability benefits to ensure the Hospital’s Occupational Health Department is advised as soon as possible of any change in medical restrictions which may affect their ability to return to regular or modified duties.
(c) The Occupational Health Department will discuss the needs of nurses for accommodation as soon as possible with their respective Manager or designate, and the Union and will advise the RWC as soon as possible when a member’s return to their original position or unit has not occurred. The Occupational Health Department in consultation with the Union representative will examine opportunities for temporary accommodation until such time as an appropriate permanent accommodation is determined.
(d) The Hospital will advise the Union of offers of permanent accommodation to members that are within or outside the bargaining unit. All Accommodation Agreements will be documented...
Early and Safe Return to Work. 18.01 The Employer and the Union are committed to a consistent, fair, approach to meeting the needs of injured employees or employees recovering from an illness, to restoring them to work which is meaningful for them and valuable to the Employer and to meeting the parties’ responsibilities under the law. The Employer and the Union agree to co-operate in facilitating the return to work of returning employees.
(a) An employee who is ready to return to work will provide the Manager, Workplace Health Return to Work and Accommodation Specialist or designate with medical verification of their ability to return to work, including specific information regarding any restrictions.
(b) In creating a back to work plan, the Return to Work and Accommodation Specialist will examine the employee’s abilities and accommodation needs to determine if the employee can return to their:
i) original position;
ii) original position with modifications to the work area and/or equipment and/or the work arrangement; and
iii) alternate positions outside the original position, including current vacancies.
(c) As soon as practical the Manager, Workplace Health Return to Work and Accommodation Specialist or designate and the manager to whom the employee reports and the Union will meet with the returning employee to create and recommend a review the return to work plan.
(d) The parties agree that to find suitable accommodation work the following factors will be considered they must balance additional factors, including in no particular order:
i) skills, ability and experience;
ii) ability to acquire skills;
iii) path of least disruption in the workplace; and
iv) the principle that all efforts shall be made to provide work to someone that otherwise would remain outside the active workplace.
(e) The Employer and the Union will monitor, with the employee, progress and duties as required until the employee is able to resume their regular duties or a decision is made that permanent changes are required. A medical certificate will be required in either case.
(f) All return to work arrangements will be in writing containing the details of the accommodation.
Early and Safe Return to Work. The Employer and the Union both recognize their obligations in facilitating the early and safe return to work of disabled employees. The Employer and the Union agree that ongoing and timely communication by all participants in this process is essential to the success of the process.
Early and Safe Return to Work. The Employer and the Union agree to cooperate on Early and Safe Return to Work initiatives in accordance with the Workplace, Health Safety and Compensation Act. Any employee in an Early and Safe Return to Work initiative or who has a concern with work place safety may involve a Union Representative in related meetings, and the Employer will inform such employees of this right.
Early and Safe Return to Work. The Employer and the Union agree to support the principle of early and safe return to work of injured/ ill workers. Further the parties agree to comply with the early and safe return to work provisions pursuant to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act and in compliance with the obligations to accommodate employees under the Human Rights Code. The parties agree to utilize return to work principles and guidelines that promote individualized early and safe return to meaningful work programs based upon what is reasonable and medically necessary. Where there is reasonable possibility that a Nurse may return to work on modified duties the employer will provide the Nurse with a Functional Abilities Form to be completed by the respective attending physician for completion. Such form will be submitted to the Occupational Health Nurse.
Early and Safe Return to Work. (a) The Hospital and the Union are committed to a consistent and fair approach to meeting the needs of a disabled nurse with respect to reasonably accommodating without undue hardship her/his early and safe return to work in accordance with the parties’ responsibilities under law. To that end, the Hospital and the Union agree that ongoing and timely communications by all participants, including the nurse, is essential to the success of the process.
(b) The Union will designate and notify the Hospital in writing of Union Return to Work representatives. The return to work representative will actively participate in the process with respect to the early and safe return to work of nurses.
(c) Prior to a nurse returning to work on a temporary return to work program or a nurse being permanently accommodated, the Hospital will meet with a committee consisting of, the nurse, the Union’s return to work representative, the nurse’s Manager, a Hospital Occupational Health representative and others if required, to discuss and implement the nurse’s temporary return to work program or the nurse’s permanent accommodation.
Early and Safe Return to Work. The parties are encouraged to meet and discuss the opportunity to further explore Early and Safe Return to Work initiatives. Where practical, these discussions should take place within six (6) months of the signing of this agreement.
Early and Safe Return to Work. This language will be reviewed by the Joint Health and Safety Committee.
