FAQ Friday Category RTW and SAW

Employers rely on healthcare providers’ expertise to determine how best to return an employee to work (or keep them at work) in part because employees aren’t qualified to diagnose the serious health conditions at issue. In the situation you describe,…

Yes. The PWFA provides protections for limitations due to childbirth and postpartum recovery. The PWFA provides that an employer must consider reasonable accommodations for limitations due to pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions. Qualifying pregnancy-related limitations are not limited to…

The push and pull dynamic between employees wanting flexibility and employers wanting people back in the office is real. Recent Spring/Alera Group research identified the type of flexibility (e.g., flexible hours, flexible days, flexible location, paid parental leave, additional paid…

Organizational change will always evoke some level of employee skepticism, especially on the heels of recent examples where expectations weren’t met. You should inform your front-line leaders about the successes that your RTW program has had. Generally, these can include…

In my opinion, holding these designations is preferred, but it is not entirely necessary. If you partner with an IME vendor who has a rigorous quality program which includes clinical oversight by a medical director, that should meet required standards.…

Rethink the workplace to be an intersection of people and technology, and not just a destination where the workforce convenes. Hybrid workplaces create opportunities for organizations to: Design a plan and policies that reflect your employees’ preferences and needs, the…

For remote employees, it is critical to ensure that their managers are having intentional and regular connections with them. Managers should be getting to know their remote employees and understanding their personal situations. It is also a good practice to…

Requiring daily temperature checks is deemed an acceptable workplace practice due to the severity of COVID-19.  However, employers must be aware that not all those with a fever have COVID-19 and not all of those with COVID-19 have a fever.…

We have found the single most important characteristic for leaders to demonstrate is modeling strength through vulnerability. Leaders often assume they are expected to have all the answers and to always display composure. Even though those attributes are important leadership…

Keeping in mind that pregnancy itself is not an ADA disability, but pregnancy-related medical conditions may be — and the Pregnancy Discrimination Act requires that women affected by pregnancy be treated the same as others who are similar in their…