Human Resources

LSU Health Sciences Center-New Orleans Return to Work Notice

Louisiana State University System provides workers’ compensation benefits to its faculty and staff in accordance with Louisiana law. This coverage includes the University's modified duty program designed to encourage employees, who have been released to perform work with limitations to return to work.

LSUHSC will make reasonable efforts to place the returning employee into a meaningful assignment, which he/she can perform while on modified duty on a temporary basis. LSUHSC cannot guarantee placement and is under no obligation to offer, create, or encumber any specific position for purposes of offering placement.

Applicability

This policy only applies to permanent employees of LSUHSCwho are on leave as a result of work related injuries or illnesses and who are receiving workers' compensation benefits. 

Procedure for Returning from Leave Due to a Workplace injury

It is the injured employee’s responsibility to immediately notify their supervisor of the fact that their physician has released them to return to duty. If the physician has released them for modified duty only, the Assistant Director of Human Resource Management or his/her designee (hereinafter referred to as Human Resource Management) will consult with the injured employee, the department head (Chair, Director, etc.) or their designee, the Office of Risk Management, the medical health care provider to determine if a suitable modified work position is available. Other individuals may participate in the process.  However, Human Resource Management will have the final decision.

What are Modified Work Requirements

For work to be considered suitable modified employment, specific conditions must be met and they are as follows:

• The employee must meet the required qualifications for the modified job assignment, which the employee will be required to perform
• The work must be a meaningful and productive part of the department’s operations
• The modified job assignment and/or modified work schedule normally will not exceed six months.

Guidelines for Placing Employees in Temporary Modified Employment

When determining if proposed modified work is suitable Human Resources will consult with the injured employee, the department administrator, and the medical health care provider.

The evaluation will be based on, but not limited to, a list of essential duties (based on the job description for which the employee was hired), the estimated time the injured employee will need to remain in the modified position, along with the job analysis form completed by the employee’s physician. 

Human Resource Management shall identify job functions and physical requirements that meet the limitations specified by the injured employee’s physician for modified duty. Every effort will be made to place the employee in his/her original work unit, however, if this is not possible, an alternative work assignment may be recommended as long as the conditions for return to work outlined in PM 70 are met. The appropriate administrator/supervisor of the work unit in the modified duty assignment must approve the proposed placement prior to further action being taken. 

If no temporary modified position is identified for placement, the injured employee will remain on Worker’s Compensation until released by their physician for duty without limitations. Human Resource Management will document this review and determination in writing and notify Louisiana Office of Risk Management.

Human Resource Management will review the modified assignment every 30 days to determine if the employee is still in transition based on the physician’s recommendation.  An updated physician’s statement can be requested at any time.  The employee will return to their previous job immediately upon medical release from the health care provider.  An employee who refuses to return to “transitional” duty or previous job function for which he or she was medically released will be reported to the Louisiana Office of Risk Management for appropriate action.

Civil Service rules, as outlined below, shall govern personnel actions for classified employees accepting “transitional” duty assignments: 

• Employees may be detailed to special duty, with Civil Service approval, for a period not to exceed six months (usual time required for an employee to remain on Workers’ Compensation). No extension of this type of detail shall be authorized.
• The detail to special duty may be lateral or downward.  Details to a higher position may also be approved on a case-by-case basis, when justified in writing.
• A position may be double encumbered, if necessary.
• The employee’s base pay cannot be reduced during the detail to special duty.

For additional information see PM-70 Return to Work Policy for Employees on Workers’ Compensation .  or call Human Resources Labor Relations at (504) 568-3916.

Worker’s Compensation

Worker's Compensation coverage is provided to LSUHSC-NO employees through the Office of Risk Management, Office of Workers' Compensation; Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It is the responsibility of each employee to report to their supervisor and/or designated departmental liaison any occupational injury or disease, even if it is deemed to be minor as soon as possible. An injured employee must give notice to the University within thirty (30) days of the injury to be eligible for Worker’s Compensation benefits.

When is an Employee Eligible for Worker’s Compensation benefits?

When an occupational injury results in an employee being away from work for a period of seven (7) calendar days or more.

Immediately when a serious injury occurs on the job.

Human Resource Management/Labor Relations must be notified of the above situations immediately by telephone at (504) 568-3916 so that compensation for any lost wages the employee may incur can be filed.

Supervisor Responsibilities When an Employee Reports an Injury or Disease

Notify Human Resource Management/Labor Relations as soon as the Occupational injury or disease is reported by an employee. An Employer’s Report of Injury/Illness form should be completed promptly and submitted to Human Resource Management Labor Relations, 433 Bolivar St, New Orleans, LA 70112.

Failure to report in a timely fashion may result in a $500 fine being levied against LSU Health Sciences Center. Your cooperation is needed to insure that no penalties are incurred and to insure that employees’ interests are protected.

Tips for filling out The Employer’s Report of Injury/Illness form

• Indicate the hourly time on the form
• Indicate on the form if the employee is on leave at the time the form is completed.

Please Note: Human Resource Management/Labor Relations must be notified the day the employee returns to work from leave by telephone at (504) 568-3916.

An Incident/Accident Investigation form (only need to fill out the first page) should be completed promptly and submitted to Human Resource Management Labor Relations, 433 Bolivar St, New Orleans, LA 70112.  

Bills or receipts for all medical expenses associated with injuries covered by Worker’s Compensation are to be forwarded to Labor Relations, Human Resource Management in a timely fashion for further processing for payment.

To report an injury or to gain further information on the program, please contact Human Resource Management at (504) 568-3916.