Managing Worker Expectations of the Return-To-Work Timeline

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 2.8 million non-fatal, recordable, injuries and illnesses in the US in 2019. Work-related injuries result in multiple days of lost productivity, which translates into lost revenue for employers, workers, families, and the larger community.

Most injuries, particularly musculoskeletal injuries, have a defined time course for recovery. While many workers return to work within a reasonable time frame, managing workers who do not wish to return to work quickly can be challenging. After reading this book you will know how to:

• Identify the recognized time course for most work-related injuries
• Recognize the barriers to recovery during the occupational medicine clinical encounter
• Implement communication techniques for sharing the expectations for recovery and the return-to-work timeline with workers.