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WCRI findings by state

Indiana: 10% of workers with more than seven days of lost time reported not returning to work for at least one month, predominantly due to the injury; 11% reported no substantial return to work within one year of the injury.

Virginia: 14% percent of workers with more than seven days of lost time reported not returning to work for at least one month, predominantly due to the injury; 17% reported no substantial return to work within one year of the injury.

Wisconsin: 12% of workers with more than seven days of lost time reported never returning to work for at least one month predominantly due to the injury; 13% reported no substantial return to work within one year of the injury.

Massachusetts: 15% of workers with more than seven days of lost time reported not returning to work for at least one month, predominantly due to the injury; 17% reported no substantial return to work within one year of the injury.

North Carolina: 14% of workers with more than seven days of lost time reported not returning to work for at least one month, predominantly due to the injury; 18% reported no substantial return to work within one year of the injury.

Michigan: 12% of workers with more than seven days of lost time reported not returning to work for at least one month, predominantly due to the injury; 16% reported no substantial return to work within one year of the injury.

Overcoming barriers to return to work

Up to 18% of injured workers not returning to work after one year


Research consistently shows the longer employees are out of work, the less likely they are to return to work. It's a grim picture when employees are out of work for a year, since less than 25% are likely to return to work and over two years, virtually none will return according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

While many employers run effective return to work programs, recent reports by the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI), find that between 11% and 18% of injured workers in 15 states do not return to work within a year of their accident, a range that is in line with previous studies. The six most recent studies included Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Obviously, the severity of the injury or illness as well as the quality and appropriateness of the medical care has a direct impact on the number of days an employee is out of work. Yet, the fundamental reason for many lost workdays and no return to work is not medical necessity, but psychological and social issues.

Here are sixteen warning signs that could result in longer recovery and delayed return:

  1. Adversarial relationship with employer
  2. Has been bullied
  3. Worried about losing their job
  4. Recent change in supervisor or management
  5. Depression
  6. Fear of being reinjured
  7. Isolation
  8. Did not like their job
  9. Poor family relationships/support
  10. History of injuries and claims
  11. Co-morbid conditions, including obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis
  12. Substance abuse
  13. Older worker
  14. Fear of technological changes
  15. Attorney involvement
  16. Low expectations of recovery

As the employer, you are in the best position to recognize these potential barriers at the onset of the claim. Here are seven ways to help overcome them:

  1. Work with injured employees, supervisors, claims adjusters, and treating physicians to ensure they are all on the same page about the expectations for return to work and recovery. Use clear language, address fears, and reassure the injured worker. Be sure everyone understands the availability of modified duty.
  2. Focus on what the worker can do, not what they can't do. Encourage physical activity at home and at work. Make it personal; ask if there is something they can't do at home that they'd like to do.
  3. Develop a written plan early with realistic and measurable goals and timetables, based on best practice guidelines. Be sure everyone who needs to know agrees to the plan and understands the process to modify, if needed.
  4. Ask the injured worker often how the recovery and plan is going. If the worker has not returned to work, ask what their expectations are for return to work. This provides insights into their expectations of success.
  5. Stay on top of the claim. A disability duration out of proportion to the severity of the injury or illness can occur when a claim becomes snagged in the system. This causes doubts and distrust and often triggers attorney involvement.
  6. If permanent accommodations are needed, plan early to eliminate obstacles. Don't convey that they are a burden (unless they create an undue hardship). Interaction and communication with the injured worker is key during this period of transition.
  7. Discuss non-pharmacological treatment alternatives and give real examples of success. Remember the injured employee needs to buy into the treatment.