DISABILITY MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS WORK ON THE PRINCIPLE OF
LOOKING AFTER AND ENGAGING THE EMPLOYEE. WHAT IS GOOD FOR
THE EMPLOYEE WILL ULTIMATELY BENEFIT THE COMPANY.
support during the STD process may find it detrimental when the
communication falls away as they move onto LTD.
By having a MTD plan in place, the case manager is able to keep
the focus on strategies that encourage motivation, goal design and
support to ensure the employee always moves toward the ultimate
solution of returning to work safely.
THE PROCESS OF MEDIUM-TERM DISABILITY
Eligibility into a MTD program is based on the evidence that the
employee has a potential to reenter the labour force.
Table 1 shows how MTD would fit into the traditional disabil-ity
benefit programs:
Short-term
Disability
Medium-term
Disability
Long-term
Disability
17 or 26 weeks One to two years,
depending on the
design
Various potential
plan designs
Once the employee enters the MTD program, the process
would focus on:
■■ Vocational rehabilitation and employee counselling services for
return to work
■■ Periodic reviews of work capacity
■■ Providing a supportive environment
A supportive environment ensures the employee will still have
a strong connection to the workplace throughout the MTD dis-ability
period. The emphasis is on health, social and vocational
rehabilitation and periodic assessments.
benefits
Currently there are many partial and temporary disabilities that
have not been resolved during the 17 to 26 weeks of STD but,
with the right treatment and support, could be resolved within the
following two years.
The most important benefit of MTD is to ensure that these em-ployees
do not fall out of the workplace when the communication
and connection to work diminishes during what would tradition-ally
be the LTD period.
The cost-effectiveness and success of the program would be
measured by how many employees transitioned past the STD pe-riod
but returned to work prior to a permanent LTD situation.
CONCLUSION
To bridge the gap between STD and LTD, many of the same
strategies used to get results in the STD period can continue
to make progress in the MTD period. These include a strong
approach to care management, return to work and recovery
strategies in workplaces where the employer is supportive of
the program.
As one report stated: “A new income benefit addressing
medium-term illnesses and disabilities fits well with the vision of a
more inclusive society and renewed social policy.”
Innovations in disability management continue to improve the
lives of employees and the success of employers. The field is con-stantly
evolving and, with increasing rates of disability and an
aging workforce, the time is right for introducing a new solution
into disability management programs. n
Liz R. Scott, Ph.D., is the principal of Organizational Solutions Inc.
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HRPROFESSIONALNOW.CA ❚ JUNE 2017 ❚ 37