Workers’ Compensation
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
I’ve been hurt on-the-job, what do
I do?
UW classified,
professional, faculty, temporary or volunteer staff who are on-shift
(full or part time) are eligible for State Fund workers’ compensation
coverage. Residents and student workers being paid through payroll are
covered. The State Fund/Labor & Industries (L&I) claim forms
are provided at the doctor’s office. UW Office of Risk Management does have additional forms, if
necessary. A University Accident/Incident/Quality Improvement Report
should be completed as an additional record of the incident.
I have an employee who has
been hurt on-the-job and have an L&I claim form to complete. What
do I do with the form?
Claim forms should be handled
carefully because they contain confidential medical information. Please
forward to the Office
of Risk Management,
UW Campus Box 351276, to be completed.
I’ve been off work but
haven’t received payment from L&I.
Call UW Office of Risk Management at (206) 543-0183. We’ll check
with L&I to make sure they have a record of your claim and that
your physician has submitted all the information necessary to pay you
for the time you are unable to perform you job.
Who do I notify for an
Emergency Event (i.e., chemical spill, fire, medical, etc.)?
For an urgent event, be sure
everyone is safely evacuated from the area. Then, report the incident
to the UW Police at 911 and UW Environmental Health & Safety
Department at 543-7388. If there is property damage contact
the UW Risk Management Insurance Coordinator
at 543-3419.
What is the Buy Back Program?
The University of Washington is required to have a buy
back program for eligible workers who are paid sick leave hours from
the University and also receive timeloss
payment from L&I for the same period of
time. The Buy Back Program reconciles this “double payment” and allows
for reinstatement of a proportionate amount of leave to your leave
record. Frequently
Asked Questions/Procedure about Buy Back.
I can return to work, but I am not able to
do my full job yet.
Contact the Office of Risk Management and your Human
Resource Representative about your release to return to
work. If your department is able to temporarily modify your duties
while you recover, you will be allowed to return to work with
restrictions for a specified period of time. If your department is
unable to modify your work, you may be eligible for continued time loss
from L&I.
How do I reach my Claim Manager at L&I?
You can locate the name and
phone number for your L&I claim manager on the lower portion of any
letters
you receive from the Department of Labor & Industries.
The fax number for the Seattle L&I office
is (206) 515-2820.
If you have not
received any
communication from L&I, please contact the UW Office of Risk
Management at
(206) 543-0183 or send an email to workcomp@u.washington.edu
to request your claim manager’s contact information.
My claim closed and I’m still receiving
medical treatment - what do I do?
Some exposure claims do close
while the employee is still receiving treatment. For other types of
claims you have 60 days from the date of closure to protest L&I’s decision to
close your claim. If you do not protest, the order will become final.
Notify L&I in writing that you are
still being treated. Ask your doctor to submit a current treatment plan
to substantiate your request. You must be receiving current and
curative treatment for your claim to remain open.
How do I account for time away from work
for appointments related to my claim?
L&I does
not compensate workers for time missed due to doctor appointments,
physical therapy, etc. You must use your own accrued leave time to
cover these absences. If possible, schedule these appointments at
either end of the day or during your lunch break to minimize the amount
of leave time you must use.
Who is responsible for ergonomics at the
University of Washington?
As with all health and safety issues at the
University, responsibility and accountability for assuring the
employee’s workplace meets regulatory requirements rests with the
Deans, Directors, Chairs and Supervisors. As noted in the
University Handbook,
everyone with supervisory responsibility is expected to directly
participate in assuring that safe working conditions are maintained.
Supervisors provide training for those working under their direction
and each employee is required to comply with occupational health and
safety regulations, including reporting unsafe conditions to his or her
supervisor. See UW Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) web page for
Frequently
Asked Questions.
The University Health and
Safety Committees are also initiating ergonomics awareness at the
organizational unit level. Since these groups report to Deans, they can
also provide significant “local” assistance. Deans and other
administrative personnel can look to their own administrative units for
assistance in fulfilling their responsibility.
EH&S has ergonomic
information available.
Additionally, you can look at
the L&I website on ergonomics.
What if I am experiencing pain or
discomfort?
Contact your health care provider to report your
discomfort. Complete the UW
Incident/Accident Form which can be printed directly from EH&S web page.
What
ergonomics assistance is currently available?
EH&S can provide guidance to individuals and
organizational units on how they can begin to address their ergonomics
issues. EH&S has traditionally provided and continues to
provide ergonomic awareness training, specific training focused on back
protection, and some limited technical assistance and consultation
regarding ergonomic issues. For further information, contact EH&S at (206) 543-7262 or Environmental Health
and Safety.
What
happens if I can no longer perform my job?
If your health care provider indicates you are
permanently unable to perform the essential functions of your job, but
you are released to work at least 50% time and are medically stable,
the University will attempt to identify an open alternative position in
which to place you. This is called the alternative job search process.
Who
will identify alternative positions for me?
The Disability Services Office and
Human Resources work together to identify alternative positions in
which to place employees. The search process places priority on
identifying open and available positions for which you meet the minimum
qualifications. A university-wide search will be conducted with the
goal of identifying a non-competitive job in which to place you.
How is it determined that an employee can
be accommodated in a job identified during the alternative job search
process?
A
thorough assessment of the job is conducted in order to understand what
the essential functions are and what assistive devices and/or equipment
may enable the employee to perform all the job tasks. The Disability Services Office provides
the cost of these devices when necessary. If reasonable accommodations
cannot be made, the job will not be considered a placement option.
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