1/2 Worker's Comp?

njjel

An ee was out for 6 weeks on w.c. She has returned to work full time but needs to leave 1/2 hour early one day each week for physical therapy. How is this handled as far as her pay? She is an hourly employee.

HRCalico

We pay an employee for the initial doc visit for an injury/illness and subsequent visits are on their own time. I would imagine state law has something to say about it, though. Do you mean to ask if that half hour counts towards FMLA intermittent leave?

WT

In New York, doctor's appointments are not time paid by comp. The employee must provide the time. Your carrier can tell you whether comp reimburses this time or not. We let employees use vacation, personal leave, or sick leave for such appointments.

System

In this state it would not be compensable through workers' comp insurance. You could have a policy where the employer pays for the time since it was an on the job injury - OR you can allow the employee to use his/her sick time. We allow the latter.

LivindonSouth

Miraculously, not paying an employee for such time has almost an immediate effect on their sudden ability to schedule these visits outside normal working hours.

A physical therapy clinic that DOES NOT have extended hours to accomodate work schedules is rare indeed.

atrimble

For post-injury follow up visits and physical therapy treatments, we pay as if the employee were at work. No deduction from sick leave, no submission for wage replacement benefits from work comp. If we suspect the employee is extending the time away from work beyond the physical therapy session for personal reasons, we begin a discipline process for attendance.

I know our position changed recently, but I can't remember whether it was to comply with State law or to reduce confusion with coordinating other leave issues.

LivindonSouth

I think it was rather an overwhelming feeling of benevolence.

atrimble

Maybe it was guilt. Employee wouldn't have to go to physical therapy if s/he wasn't injured on the job. As the safety director, I take the duties maybe too literally: if an employee gets hurt on the job, I'm apparently not doing my job. This attitude seems to be fairly successful, as our injury rate has dropped from 13 my first year to 2 this year (so far - xpray). And No - I'm not the safety goggle police. I think most of it is word of mouth after holding myself(okay, the agency) abashedly liable for the employees' "accidents."