Planning
Disabilities and work related injuries cost the average Canadian business approximately 17% of payroll. Over 75% of employees who participate in a return to work (RTW) plan, undergo a timely, safe, and sustainable return to work within a 12-week period. (NIDMAR, 2003).
For employees who experience a work-related injury, early intervention is the most effective way to ensure a successful and timely return to work. Typically, the longer individuals are away from the workforce, the less likely they are to return to their pre-injury jobs.
With cost-effectiveness to the employer always in mind, CareerQuest can develop a return to work plan that is both comprehensive and easy to understand. Its primary goal will be to ensure the timely, safe, and sustainable return to work of your injured, ill, or disabled employee.
A return to work plan developed by CareerQuest is outcome-focused, with clear goals that can be achieved within realistic time frames. It will be developed in consultation with the worker, health care providers, line managers and supervisors, union representatives, and the WSIB, as necessary. As well, our experienced professionals can ensure your RTW plan is in compliance with the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and human rights legislation.
Assessments
CareerQuest is a full-service firm that is able to provide assessment and job-specific training services as part of a return to work plan or on an independent basis.
A return to work plan often involves some form of assessment to ensure that a cost-effective solution is targeted. CareerQuest is equipped to provide a number of assessments including a functional abilities evaluation or worksite analysis conducted by a kinesiologist certified by the Ontario Kinesiology Association who is also a Certified Work Capacity Evaluator. As well, an academic assessment or a vocational assessment that is conducted by a psychometrist certified by the Ontario Association of Consultants, Counsellors, Psychometrists and Psychotherapists (OACCPP) is sometimes necessary in situations where an individual may need to identify an alternative job with the same employer.
Training
CareerQuest is a full-service firm that is able to provide assessment and job-specific training services as part of a return to work plan or on an independent basis.
Skills training is sometimes required as part of a return to work plan when the worker must learn new ways of completing tasks or when he/she must transition into a new role within the company. CareerQuest provides job-specific training in a variety of areas: computer skills, English as a second language, academic upgrading, customer service, etc. As well, CareerQuest provides non-dominant hand training to individuals who have suffered injuries to their dominant hands and speech-recognition software training for individuals who are unable to use either hand to operate a computer.
Assistive Devices & Physical Accommodations
Following an assessment, it is quite often determined that a worker is able to return to his/her pre-injury duties with only the implementation of some assistive devices or physical accommodations to the present workstation. CareerQuest can assist in implementing an almost endless variety of assistive devices and accommodations to support the employee in returning to work as quickly as possible following an injury.