Return to work
Returning to work while recovering is a healthy and safe approach for most people with work-related injuries. Working is good for physical and mental health and often supports healing. Making safe, suitable, and sustainable work arrangements for people who were injured at work takes cooperation and collaboration. Workers, employers, and health care providers all have important contributions to make in ensuring a successful return to work.
- Returning to work is good medicine
- Focus on what someone can do
- A team approach to return to work
- Return-to-work requirements for workers and employers
- Resources
Returning to work is good medicine
Returning to work, when it is safe to do so while recovering, helps an injured worker’s mental health and physical well-being. It also helps to protect their income, employment benefits, social contacts, routines, and job security.
Focus on what someone can do
For many people, returning to work might mean performing alternate tasks, working a modified schedule, or doing things a little differently. Focusing on what someone can do, rather than what they can't do, makes them feel valued and lets them know they can contribute to the workplace despite their injury. It also helps when collaborating on ways they can safely contribute and stay connected to their workplace. For example, a person with an injured shoulder can still perform meaningful work in the office by answering phones.
In many instances, the worker can tell you what they can safely do and together you can identify suitable duties that are within their abilities. If there are concerns about the worker’s ability to perform the work safely, the worker’s health care provider can be helpful in identifying the worker’s abilities and activities they need to avoid.
A team approach to return to work
A return-to-work (RTW) plan is a document developed collaboratively by the injured worker and their employer (e.g., a supervisor, RTW coordinator, and/or others). A WorkSafeBC team member, the injured worker’s health care provider, or a union representative could also be involved.
A RTW plan includes the worker’s functional abilities, job duties, and hours of work. Following a “work as therapy” approach helps people recover faster and return to work and normal life sooner.
Return-to-work requirements for workers and employers
To support a safe and timely return to work following a worker’s injury, workers and employers are legally required to cooperate with each other and with WorkSafeBC.
Some employers also have an obligation to maintain an injured worker’s employment. This applies if the employer regularly employs 20 or more workers and has employed the injured worker for at least one year before the worker’s injury.
Learn more about your duty to cooperate and duty to maintain employment — as a worker or employer.
Resources
Return to Work: City of Penticton
A safe and timely return to work for injured workers benefits both the worker and the employer. This video profiles the City of Penticton’s return-to-work program, and focuses on how a collaborative...
Recover at Work starter toolkit for employers
This toolkit provides a basic step-by-step guide with tools and resources to help manage a worker’s injury from the time of the incident to a full return to work.