Return-to-Work Specialist

Our priority is the health and wellness of employees and the people of Ontario. As such, this position may involve working from home for part of the duration of this position. The WSIB model mixes working from home, office and field.

About the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB)

We’re here to help. When an injury or illness happens on the job, we move quickly to provide wage-loss benefits, medical coverage and support to help people get back to work. Funded by businesses, we also provide no-fault collective liability insurance and access to industry-specific health and safety information. We are one of the largest insurance organizations in North America covering over five million people in more than 300,000 workplaces across Ontario. For more information, visit wsib.ca.

At the WSIB, you’ll have the opportunity to:

explore many career paths and follow your passion
continuously learn and grow professionally
be recognized for the great work you do
participate in programs that support your health and wellbeing

You’ll also receive a competitive salary, along with a comprehensive benefit package and defined benefit pension plan.

Bilingual designated roles- You may be eligible to receive a language bonus payment.

Starting salary:  $88,032.00

Recruiting for current and future Unilingual & Bilingual vacancies in the following locations:

Toronto, Hamilton, Guelph, Kingston, Kitchener, London, Ottawa, St. Catharine’s, Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, North Bay Thunder Bay, Timmins, Windsor

About the role:

Lead return-to- work (RTW) activities for cases at risk in order to drive RTW outcomes. Ensure suitable and sustainable RTW outcomes are achieved through customized coordination of the right services at the right time, and by applying a customer-centric approach. Achieve optimal outcomes and promote leading RTW practices through the delivery of innovative and specialized services.

On a practical level, you would:

1.    Provide information to the injured/ill person and their employer on the return-to-work process as well as educate both of the workplace parties on their rights and obligations.

2.    Identify issues that present obstacles to the return-to-work and the intervention(s) required to overcome them and achieve positive return-to-work outcomes.

3.    Help the injured/ill person and their employer to develop a plan for their return to their pre-injury job – with or without accommodations.

4.    Provide expert advice, vocational rehabilitation planning, and support for the injured/ill person and their employer in coordinating their return-to-work, which may include further accommodations and/or transition to a different job with their employer or with a new employer if necessary.

Major Duties & Responsibilities:

1.    Represent, Promote and Cultivate WSIB’s leading Return-to-Work Brand through:

•  Representing WSIB and acting as Brand Ambassadors, promoting WSIB’s leading Return-to-Work Program and as aligned with the leading professional guidelines of organizations such as the International Social Security Association (ISSA).
•  Professionally recommending, educating and applying evidence-based, internal and industry-supported leading practices that lead to optimal RTW outcomes and promote the prevention of injury/illness and disease.
•  Maintaining collective and individual professionalization requirements pertaining to accepted WSIB credentials; this includes obtaining the CDMP certification within the first two years of WSIB employment.

2.    Apply a customer-centric approach, educate workplace parties and customers on:

• Disability management, return-to-work principles and leading practices, the benefits of early and safe RTW, the RTW process, the employer’s and worker’s rights and obligations under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board Act and under relevant policies.
•  WSIB’s comprehensive suite of innovative RTW services and products, in addition to research-supported and industry-recognized resources.

3.    Evaluate, assess and interpret case needs by:

•   Gathering information through a disability management lens, using a holistic approach and working in collaboration with internal and external customers, determine the most appropriate customer-centric approach to RTW.
•  Considering and arranging appropriate assessments to develop a RTW plan based on the right services at the right time.
•  Applying early and safe RTW principles to determine an optimal approach for specialized cases (e.g. Mental Health, English as a Second Language) including: conducting research; identifying risk factors which would signal barriers to return-to-work, formulating innovative RTW options and leading practice approaches.

4.    Planning, making and communicating decisions by:

•  Collaborating with internal and external customers, representatives, health care community partners and related providers/resources; assess RTW Plan and goal dates in collaboration with all involved WSIB staff, providing guidance, advice and direction to support return-to-work.
•   Determining and assigning accountability for implementation of all resolutions; reviewing, assessing potential RTW opportunities to determine: job suitability; recommend and approve appropriate accommodations and/or assistive devices.
•   Making and communicating RTW decisions that enable a return-to-work; communicating decisions verbally and in writing; providing education on rights and obligations under the Act. Responding to worker and employer’s requests for clarification and/or reconsideration specific to RTW services; monitoring employer and worker compliance in RTW Plans; communicating RTW Plan details to all parties.

5.    Manage, Monitor and Secure ongoing sustainability of RTW planning through:

• Establishing a customer-centric follow up system to oversee goal-oriented plans; develop post RTW meeting interventions to ensure Plan remains focused on identified outcome.
•   Initiating and leading case conferences with internal and external customers to review RTW options; where barriers exist, continue to work towards optimal solution; liaising with internal and external providers to gather information towards resolving barriers (i.e. health care community).
•  Coordinating additional interventions as appropriate to drive the case forward and ensure continued communication with all customers for the successful implementation and sustainment of the RTW Plan

6.    Perform required functions for caseload and RTW Plan management including:

•   Implementing an effective documentation and follow up system to ensure optimal caseload management
•  Documenting all related RTW activities using WSIB systems
•   Responding to inquiries in a timely fashion within expectations;
•    Maintaining an effective proven case management system to handle competing and changing case priorities.

7.    Perform other related duties as assigned or required.

Job Requirements

Education

•  University degree at the undergraduate level with a specialty focus in one of the following

o   Disability Management

o   Health Sciences (nursing, physiotherapy, kinesiology, occupational therapy),

o   Social Work/Sociology

o   Vocational Rehabilitation

o   Psychology/Counselling

• Certified Disability Management Professional (CDMP) or completion of CDMP certification within the first two years of WSIB employment in the Specialist, Return to Work Program position.
• Valid Ontario G class driver’s license.

Experience

• One year and six months prior experience in return to work, disability management, vocational rehabilitation or alternate dispute resolution.

Our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion

We respect and value the diversity of our people. We strive to create an environment where employees can be themselves and where our differences are celebrated.

The WSIB is committed to being accessible and inclusive, and following barrier-free and accessible employment practices in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Should you require accommodation through any stage of the recruitment process, please let us know when we contact you and we will work with you to meet your needs.

Disclosing conflicts of interest

As public servants, employees at the WSIB have a responsibility to act in an ethical way at all times to create a respectful workplace and maintain public trust. Job applicants are required to disclose any circumstance that could result in a real, potential or perceived conflict of interest. A conflict of interest is any situation where your private interests may impair or be perceived to impair the decisions you make in your official capacity. This may include: political activity, directorship, other outside employment and certain personal relationships (e.g. with current WSIB employees, customers and/or stakeholders). If you have any questions about conflict of interest obligations and/or how to make a disclosure, please contact the Talent Acquisition Centre at talentacquisitioncentre@wsib.on.ca.

Privacy information

We collect personal information from your resume, application, cover letter and references under the authority of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997. The Talent Acquisition Centre and WSIB hiring parties will used this information to assess/validate your qualifications, determine if you meet the requirements of vacant positions and/or gather information relevant for recruitment purposes. If you have questions or concerns regarding the collection and use of your personal information, please contact the WSIB’s Privacy Office at privacy_office@wsib.on.ca. The Privacy Office cannot provide information about the status of your application.

As a precondition of employment, the WSIB requires that prospective candidates undergo a criminal records name check any time before or after they are hired.

To apply for this position, please submit your application by the closing date on the WSIB career portal: https://www.wsib.ca/en/careers