The United Steelworkers endorsed a Resolution at its National Policy Conference re RTW / Disability Prevention Programs

The United Steelworkers (USW), the largest private sector union in North America with more than 225,000 members in Canada and more than 800,000 members continent-wide, endorsed a Resolution at its National Policy Conference on April 7 in Montreal, calling on the union to “recognize and support the value in pursuing meaningful, effective, confidential and joint workplace Return to Work / Disability Prevention Programs,” including full and equal participation by the union, the injured worker and medical caregivers during the return to work process with employers. The media release can be viewed at:
http://www.usw.ca/news/media-centre/releases/2016/return-to-work-programs-a-priority

John Slinger, Chief Operating Officer of the Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), and NIDMAR Board Member, Judy Geary, signed a Memorandum of Agreement which provides employers across Ontario with access to the DMSA via a link on the WSIB’s website. Full story

These were the key themes of a recent joint invitational event hosted by the Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA) of Ontario and the National Institute of Disability Management and Research (NIDMAR) held in Toronto. Full story

With the generous financial support of the IBM Cύram Research Institute and, as part of a collaborative effort involving the German Workers Compensation System (DGUV), the International Social Security Association (ISSA), and the National Institute of Disability Management and Research (NIDMAR), three calculators were developed which are designed to allow individuals, employers, and social security agencies (in both the occupational and non-occupational sectors) to assess a range of economic consequences resulting from the loss of employment for an individual as a result of a disabling impairment. The development of the calculators also involved the participation and input from a broad range of experts in the Disability Management / Return to Work field. The following is a link to the website: http://calculators.idmsc.org/

In July 2011, the Social Security Organization of Malaysia (SOCSO/PERKESO) signed an agreement with the International Disability Management Standards Council (IDMSC) for use of its curriculum and professional certification standards. This agreement was part of Malaysia’s national commitment towards improved rehabilitation and return to work outcomes, which takes another leap forward with the official opening of the PERKESO Rehabilitation Centre. It is also in the context of this national rehabilitation effort that SOCSO/PERKESO will be hosting IFDM 2016 in Kuala Lumpur. The IDMSC Communique can be downloaded at the following link: Full story

Belgium’s Health Insurance AGency (RIZIV-INAMI), which manages supplemental security income benefits for non-occupational injuries and illnesses, recently signed an agreement with NIDMAR, which allows the agency to begin training individuals under its own “Back to Work” program using the IDMSC curriculum and professional designations. Full story

This Communique highlights the experience at the Workplace Safety & Insurance Board (WSIB) of Ontario, Canada with regard to the results of a work reintegration strategy undertaken by them. More information