3.81 Reporting Work-Related Injuries & Workers’ Compensation
A. Purpose
To establish the expectation that employees promptly report work-related injuries and to provide information about the college’s workers’ compensation procedures to ensure employee safety.
B. Policy
Any injury or illness, even a minor one, incurred as a direct result of an employee’s job duties, must be reported to the college by the employee. On-the-job injuries and illnesses may be covered by the college’s workers’ compensation insurance program, which is prescribed by Missouri law.
C. Procedures
Employee Responsibility
- Employees must notify their supervisor immediately of all job-related injuries. An employee who is injured as a direct result of their job duties must also report the incident by submitting the Accident/Injury Report within 24 hours to the Safety and Security Department and the Office of Human Resources (HR).
- For life-threatening injuries, medical care is the priority and forms will be completed as soon as possible.
- When an employee is injured on the job and seeking workers’ compensation, the college has the right and obligation to direct the employee’s medical care. Because there are particular procedures the college needs to follow when treating work-related injuries, the college asks that the employee work closely with the Office of Human Resources after an injury or illness to ensure their safe return to work.
- Medical care provided through an employee’s private physician may not be approved or paid for by the college.
- Following the medical evaluation, the employee must immediately return the documentation provided by the designated medical provider to their supervisor and HR.
Supervisor Responsibility
- Supervisors must review and sign the Accident/Injury Report and submit it to the Safety and Security Department and the Office of Human Resources within 24 hours of the incident (or the next business day).
- For non-life-threatening injuries, the supervisor should contact the Office of Human Resources during business hours for a medical referral or the employee may be directed to an urgent care/after-hours clinic.
- For life-threatening injuries, employees should be transported to the nearest emergency/trauma center and complete the reporting forms as soon as possible.
- Supervisors are required to document, in writing, any refusal by the employee to obtain medical treatment. The documentation shall be forwarded to HR as soon as possible.
- Following treatment, it is the supervisor’s responsibility to ensure the appropriate documentation is completed and forwarded to the Office of Human Resources.
Modified Duty Assignments
Modified duty is considered when the Office of Human Resources receives the following information from the medical provider:
a. Current physical or other medical limitations relating to the performance of essential functions of the job;
b. Expected period of temporary restrictions.
The college supports the use of modified duty in some cases, unless the medical provider believes modified duty would pose a hindrance to recuperation or an increased risk of re-injury. No employee will be placed on modified duty if the employee’s condition would pose a safety or health hazard to the college community.
If an employee does not want to work in a modified duty capacity when authorized to do so by the medical provider, or feels they are unable to do so, the employee will be charged accrued leave time during their absence.
Other Matters
Employees who are unable to work or are on modified duty due to a workers’ compensation injury or illness, must comply with the restrictions and orders provided by the designated medical provider. Failure to follow medical orders may result in the loss of rights under the Workers’ Compensation Program and serious disciplinary action.
Additionally, employees who are unable to work or are on modified duty due to a workers’ compensation injury or illness, are restricted from working any outside employment unless specific approval has been requested and received in writing from their supervisor and the department head, in coordination with the Office of Human Resources. Employees who engage in outside employment without approval may be subject to serious disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
As part of the worker’s compensation procedures, and in accordance with the college’s 3.47 Drug Free Workplace policy, all employees seeking benefits will be administered a post-accident drug test. If an employee refuses to take a post-accident drug test or tests positive for illicit drugs after taking the post-accident drug test, it will be grounds for disciplinary procedures up to and including termination.
An employee may be responsible for medical expenses, or have benefits reduced or denied, if using alternative services outside of the college’s direction, failing to timely report an incident, or failing to follow college policies at the time the injury occurred.
The college’s Health and Wellness clinic located on the Springfield campus is not an occupational injury clinic. Employees should not seek care at the clinic for work injuries.
Not Seeking Workers’ Compensation
If an employee is injured on the job, they may elect to waive workers’ compensation benefits. However, the employee is still required to notify their supervisor, the Safety and Security Department, the Office of Human Resources and complete the Accident/Injury Report. In accordance with the college’s 3.47 Drug Free Workplace, an employee that has elected to waive workers’ compensation may still be administered a post-incident drug test.
Workers’ Compensation Payments
- Employees who are totally disabled from work due to a compensable injury or illness will receive temporary total disability payment at a rate of approximately two-thirds (2/3) of their regular salary.
- Employees may use accrued sick and/or vacation time for the remaining one third (1/3) not paid by workers’ compensation insurance. Total payments from workers’ compensation and the employee’s accrued leave will not exceed more than 100 percent of their regular monthly salary when they are off work due to a workers’ compensation injury or illness. It is the college’s responsibility to ensure that no employee receives more than 100 percent of their regular monthly salary when they are off work due to a workers’ compensation injury or illness.
- Employees receiving workers’ compensation payments for an injury or illness will not receive all of their monthly salary in addition to the workers’ compensation payments.
- If an employee’s regular monthly salary has already been paid for the time period in which the employee has been or will be paid by workers’ compensation, the college has the right and obligation to deduct the amount paid by workers’ compensation from the employee’s next paycheck.
D. Definitions
E. Authority
This policy is maintained under the authority of the chief human resources officer.
F. Related Policies
G. Implementation
Purpose, procedures, responsibilities, and definitions approved and adopted by the chancellor’s cabinet on 9/23/20.
Policy approved and adopted by the board of trustees on 2/23/98 and revised 12/08/03, 1/09/06, and 10/12/20. Set for review in fiscal year 2023-2024.