[MCOH-EH] Healthcare RTW Process Questions

[Susan L. Guerin-Staples]

We require a note for return to work after an employee has been out for greater than two weeks for their own health condition or anytime they have restrictions or limitations. If any employee has been out for anything other than their own health condition, they just need to check in with their manager prior to their return. (This includes bonding leaves).  Most of the time staff comply, we do occasionally see staff who were put back on the schedule without EHS clearance at which point the manager is educated and we check in with the employee to insure all is good.  We ask for 24 hours notice.

We have a collaborative process with our STD/FMLA vendor to share any RTW notes they receive with our department.  We require RTW notes on all who have been out on leave. This process works most of the time.  Our RNs call and check in with every employee on every note received to make sure the employee is on the same page as the note we received.  They are not always the same.

The rationale for our process has to do with the fact that we are not "excusing" an absence and the fact that our attendance policy considers multiple days of an absence if they are consecutive one occurrence.  We are capturing all restricted capacity.  Our managers are trained to counsel staff on FMLA if needed.


Susan L. Guerin-Staples MSB, FACHE
Senior Director
Employee Health Services
MaineHealth

207-662-6280 (p)
207-761-3083 (F)





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