Worker Compensation Services

IRC provide vocational rehabilitation services to the Washington worker compensation program to both the state fund and self-insurance accounts. The services provided are in accordance with RCW 51.32.090 and WAC 296-19A and include the following:

Early Intervention:

Services designed to return the injured worker back to work with the employer of injury in the same, a modified job, or new job.

• interview or contact with employer, worker and physician
• facilitation of communication between all parties, including referral source
• job analysis of employment performed or work to be offered by employer
• facilitation of transitional, part-time or other means to return to work
• determination of adaptive or ergonomic aids to facilitate work
• determination of adjunct services (i.e., work conditioning/work hardening) to strengthen or augment worker capacities
• progress or final report to document vocational services

Ability to Work Assessment:

A complete work and educational history is gathered, it is compared with the accepted medical condition (or mental/psychological condition) and resultant permanent limitations to determine whether an injured worker can return to work in any capacity.

• education, training, skills and detailed work history
• work pattern, including attachment to the work force
• geographic location and commute issues
• physical, mental or emotional accepted conditions
• impact of non-accepted physical, mental, emotional conditions
• physical functioning levels determined by physician or therapist
• transferable skills in keeping with accepted condition/restrictions
• labor market analysis on job availability
• ability to participate in work search, efforts (including motivation) to seek and obtain work, and job search capability based on prior methods to obtain employment
• comprehensive report to document occupational possibilities

Plan Development:

Comprehensive vocational counseling and planning is performed to assist the worker in a selection of a new job goal.

• counseling to advise worker of services, time & cost limits, and participation required in vocational services, including reduction of barriers to ensure participation in planning and job goal selection
• vocational testing to determine aptitudes, abilities, temperaments, etc.
• labor market research to determine education or training required for new occupation via contact with employers, schools, or labor organizations
• analysis of skills to be acquired in formal or informal / on-the-job training
• development of or documentation of curriculum for training
• determination of time and cost factors
• medical, physical and/or psychological approval for job goal
• comprehensive report that contains agreement by all parties that the vocational goal is acceptable, the time & cost will be funded, and there is probability of success to return to work upon completion.

Plan Implementation:

Upon approval from the referral source, the training plan is initiated and monitored throughout the training time.

• monitoring occurs to ensure knowledge and skills are acquired per time designation
• barriers or problems are resolved in a timely manner
• coordination with all involved professionals occurs throughout training
• job search skills are incorporated at appropriate time
• transcripts or trainer documentation is acquired
• comprehensive final report documents employability

Forensic:

This service is an analytical review of the records and services offered by the Department of Labor & Industries to the injured worker to determine if they are employable, or if vocational services are both likely and necessary to decrease barriers to return to the work force.

• The work assignment varies considerably depending on the case complexity, longevity on time loss benefits, medical/psychological factors including capacity to benefit from vocational services, labor market issues, and needed services to restore employability within the time and cost allowance issues of the worker compensation system.