PPM Section 12 - Employee Safety: Workers' Compensation
PPM Section 12 - Employee safety: Workers' Compensation
Sick leave and Workers' Compensation
Sick leave may be used during any waiting period prior to eligibility for receiving workers' compensation wage loss payments. Sick leave used may be reimbursed to the employee's sick leave bank, should the employee's wage loss benefits cover any period of time for which sick leave was used. This is accomplished by the employee "buying back" the paid sick leave, using funds from the first weekly workers' compensation benefit check received.
Procedure
The employee's first weekly benefit check is sent to Human Resources. Human Resources will calculate any necessary reimbursement for sick leave used. The funds necessary to buy back the sick leave are deducted from the check; the balance of the check is sent to the employee. Human Resources will instruct Payroll to reinstate the appropriate number of sick leave hours to the employee's sick leave bank.
Any employee receiving weekly benefits may use any remaining sick leave in amounts supplementary to weekly workers' compensation benefit checks, not to exceed 100 percent of regular wages.
After consultation with the employee, Human Resources will notify the employee's department as to the amount of sick leave to be used after the first weekly benefit check has been issued and after any necessary reimbursement to the employee's sick leave account has been made.
Annual leave and Workers' Compensation
Any annual leave used during a waiting period prior to receiving workers' compensation payments will not be reimbursed to the employee's annual leave bank.
Employees may elect to use annual leave to supplement their workers' compensation weekly benefit, but only if they have exhausted their sick leave account balance. An employee's annual leave should not be used unless his/her express consent is given.
Procedure
After consultation with the employee, Human Resources will notify the employee's department as to the amount of annual leave to be used after the first weekly benefit check has been issued and/or the employee's sick leave account balance is exhausted.
Length of leave
Duration of a workers' compensation leave of absence is limited under the terms of Absences from Work - Extended Absence. Workers' compensation benefits may continue after termination of employment.
Group insurance and Workers' Compensation
Employees with approved workers' compensation eligibility and who are off work due to work-related injuries or illnesses have the following group insurance options:
Health insurance
Health insurance may be continued under the same terms and conditions as in force at the time of injury/leave. The University will continue to provide coverage for the employee. The employee will continue to pay his/her share of premiums for dependents, if any. The coverage may be continued until the employee returns to the active payroll or until his/her employment is terminated.
Life insurance
Life insurance may be continued at the employee's expense, at University group rates, until the employee returns to the active payroll or until his/her employment is terminated. If the employee returns to the active payroll, the University will resume paying its portion of premiums.
Long-term disability insurance
Long-term disability insurance cannot be continued while an employee is off work with approved workers' compensation eligibility. If the employee returns to the active payroll, coverage will be reinstated on the same terms and conditions that apply to other employees in the same position classification as the employee at that time.
Procedure
Upon receipt of a Transaction form removing the employee from the payroll, Human Resources
will send a letter outlining group insurance continuation provisions and costs to the employee.