Absence Management

An Overview of Return to Work Services

Chelsea Bikner
MDOS
Reading time 4 Mins
Published on Jan 21
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Modified duty off-site (MDOS) assists employers in returning their employees back to work following an injury or period of disability. MDOS programs offer a unique return to work alternative that reduces the cost and duration of lost-time incidents. Sheakley works with area nonprofits to provide volunteer placement for employees with temporary restrictions that are unable to return to their original job. Here is an overview of our MDOS program to help you better understand the great benefits MDOS offers for both employees and employers.

The basics

By assisting employees in getting back to work following an injury, MDOS can reduce the cost and duration of lost-time incidents. While an employee is on an MDOS assignment, they receive their salary through their employer, rather than temporary and total disability paid through their workers’ compensation claim. By paying your employee’s wages through an MDOS assignment, you reduce indemnity costs that can significantly impact your experience modification factor. Keeping your experience modification factor low can help keep your workers’ comp premiums in check.

Our MDOS program is a win-win situation. That’s why we handle every case individually, with special consideration given to every placement. The nonprofit benefits from having extra help and your employee is able to resume productive work while transitioning back to their regular job.

We handle the details

Your assigned case manager will manage the placement until the MDOS program is completed. The case manager will meet with your employee and the nonprofit supervisor on the first day of placement to ensure that everyone is aware of the restrictions on your employee, assigned job duties, working hours, and program expectations. Your case manager will also follow up with your employee and the nonprofit agency throughout their MDOS assignment to assess performance, attendance, and success.

What are the benefits?

The greatest benefit for the employee is maintaining employment status, regular wages, and benefits. The employee remains actively involved in the workforce, maintains a regular work schedule, and performs meaningful tasks, all of which contribute to their sense of purpose and productivity. Onsite therapy is available for those employees who are in need of therapy services to assist in transitioning back to their original job.

For employers, MDOS can reduce the cost and duration of lost-time incidences by assisting employees in getting back to work following an injury. While on an MDOS assignment at a nonprofit, the employee receives their salary through their employer, rather than temporary and total disability (TTD) paid through their workers’ compensation claim. This reduction in indemnity costs could lower your experience modification factor, keeping your premiums increases lower in future years. The more of your employee’s wages you pay through an MDOS program, the less your experience modification factor will rise.

Give back to the community

By supporting the work of a nonprofit in your area, you and your employee are giving back to the community. Often the roles filled through MDOS programs would have been met by irregular volunteers or gone unfilled.

In addition to local nonprofits that you may wish to partner with for an MDOS assignment, many national nonprofits utilize these employees, including the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, American Heart Association, YMCA, Goodwill, and Habitat for Humanity. These nonprofits are able to accommodate the needs of your injured employees, whether their duties restrict them to data entry, light cleaning, answering phones, or doing inventory.

MDOS and Sheakley

Our Modified Duty Off-Site Services program provides a return to work solution for employers who struggle with accommodating light duty work restrictions. We assist our clients by temporarily placing disabled workers with nonprofit organizations using our national network. This promotes expedited return to work, which reduces overall employment and claims costs. It also allows employees to stay engaged and productive during their disability period.

Utilizing state of the art technology, Sheakley’s experts are able to identify work assignments that meet your employee’s work restrictions and that are convenient for their location. Sheakley has a 99 percent placement success rate, with most placements occurring within 24 to 48 hours after referral. Individual attention from a Nurse Case Manager is also given during the placement appointment to review program details with your employee and to ensure that the nonprofit understands and accommodates all physical work restrictions.

Schedule your free consultation today with our MDOS experts today. Subscribe to our blog to stay up-to-date on all things Sheakley and following us on social media. Join in the discussion by commenting below.


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