Management Education Sessions: Proficiency in managing return to work situations

Course: 6 weeks' duration, commitment is one hour each week
Intended for those in managerial and supervisory roles
Format: video delivery (via Zoom Media or Skype for Business)
Minimum 10 participants
Registration required
Cost C$450 per participant

Course objective:
​at the end of the course, front line managers and supervisors will have the ability to identify and manage both the obligations and pitfalls involved in return to work issues.

Week 1: Overview of Disability Management

The focus for week 1 is to introduce the course and review the legislation and laws that guide disability management. Privacy laws, medical confidentiality, duty to accommodate, human rights, and  health and safety legislation will be reviewed. In addition, the importance of timely and accurate communication and documentation will be discussed.

Week 2: Stress Leave

Look in any collective agreement or Human Resources policies, and you will not find "stress leave" listed, so why does it show up frequently on a medical note? This week will review how best to manage these types of situations.

Week 3: Mental Health

In Canada, between 4 and 12% of total disabilities are due to mental health issues. Mental Health researchers predict that 20-25% of the population will experience a mental illness in the course of their adult lives. Anxiety and depression are on the rise. What do you need to know in order to manage these situations more effectively and support your employees at work?

Week 4: What to expect with gradual return to work plans?

Your absent employee is now ready to return to work gradually. What does this mean for all parties? What can you expect from your employee? What are your responsibilities to the employee and their colleagues? What information should you receive from the medical practitioners? How can the insurer support everyone's efforts to return this employee safely and sustainably?

Week 5: Return to work barriers

Your employee is resisting coming back to work, or is at work but is having a difficult time re-engaging. This week will highlight the common barriers to a successful return to work. Understanding them can help you help your employee. The employee's relationship with their supervisor can be the biggest hurdle to overcome.

Week 6: Managing chronic conditions in the workplace

Many people have chronic medical conditions that create absences from work. For some, this creates attendance or performance issues. What responsibility does the employee have to disclose a chronic condition? What are the employer's considerations for accommodating? What documentation is necessary? How often should the employee's medical situation and accommodation be reviewed? These are a few of the questions to be addressed in this final week.