WORKERS COMPENSATION POLICY

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WORKERS COMPENSATION POLICY EFFECTIVE 9/1/05
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PURPOSE OF WORKERS' COMPENSATION POLICY

• To provide medical benefits and disability
  compensation in accordance with the NC Workers
  Compensation Act to employees who sustain
  compensable injuries or illnesses, which arise
  out of or are found to be within the course and
  scope of their employment.

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• Probationary employees
• Regular established full-time employees
• Part-time employees

COVERED EMPLOYEES

• Elected Officials
• Temporary Employees

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• Employee Responsibility
• Department Head Responsibility
• Human Resources Responsibility

Reporting Requirements
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EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITY

• Notify Department Head and Human Resources
  immediately
• Delayed reporting may result in the loss of
  Workers Compensation Benefits
• Complete a First Report of Injury or Illness Form
  immediately with Department Head
• Contact Department Head and Human Resources PRIOR
  to receiving medical treatment (life threatening
  accidents or accidents occurring after normal 8-5
  working hours may be directed to the nearest
  hospital

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EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITY

• Failure to receive prior approval for medical
  treatment will result in denial in payment
• Provide all medical correspondences to the
  Department Head or Human Resources immediately

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• LIGHT DUTY POLICY
• What is light duty? A change in an employees
  physical requirements, hours of work, etc. caused
  by a medical condition as certified by an
  authorized health care provider that prevents an
  employee from performing one or more of the
  essential physical duties of his/her regular
  position
• Only work related injuries will be eligible for
  light or modified duty
• ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR LIGHT DUTY
• Must have written and signed authorization from a
  County approved medical professional
• Note must detail specific physical duties that
  cannot be performed
• Note must give an anticipated duration of the
  condition

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ACCOMMODATIONS

• H.R. and Department Head will attempt to
  accommodate employee with limitations by
  minimizing the physical demands of his/her
  regular job or seeking another position within
  the County which meets the restriction
  requirements
• Employee MAY not use sick leave, annual leave, or
  leave without pay in lieu of returning to work
  while on light duty status
• Medical certification must be provided to H.R.
  PRIOR to returning to regular duty
• If no light duty is available or lost time from
  work is required by the authorized medical
  professional, employee will be placed on Workers
  Compensation Leave

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WORKERS COMPENSATION LEAVE POLICY

• If employee has been directed to be out of work
  by authorized physician, sick leave/annual leave
  may be used for the first seven 7-day waiting
  period
• If absence from authorized physician becomes at
  least 21 days Workers Compensation will pay for
  7-day waiting period.
• Beginning the eighth (8th) day of authorized
  absence, employee will receive 66 2/3 of gross
  wages (calculated on one year prior to the date
  of injury)
• Compensatory sick leave or annual leave may be
  supplemented while on leave
• Payment cannot exceed normal compensation
• Supplemental pay will be subject to State and
  Federal tax withholdings and Social Security

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USE OF LEAVE FOR ADDITIONAL MEDICAL TREATMENT

• Employee shall not be charged sick leave or
  annual leave for time away from work for doctors
  appointments for work related injuries
• Paid time should be limited to reasonable time
  for treatment and travel
• Employee shall be charged sick/annual leave/leave
  without pay if time used for doctors appointment
  is abused
• Appointments should be scheduled at a time most
  convenient for work unit
• Employee is expected to return to work after
  medical treatment unless approved authorized
  healthcare provider has prohibited return to work
• Qualified employees will be placed on FMLA if
  eligible which will run concurrent with Workers
  Compensation

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BENEFITS WHILE ON WORKERS COMPENSATION LEAVE

• Employee medical and dental insurance premiums
  will be paid by County
• Medical/dental premiums for dependant coverage
  must be paid by the employee
• Longevity pay will continue to be paid while on
  Workers Compensation leave
• COLAs, bonuses, merit increases, etc. that
  employee did not receive due to leave will be
  reinstated to the employee upon returning to work

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BENEFITS WHILE ON WORKERS COMPENSATION LEAVE

• Employee shall continue to accumulate annual and
  sick leave for use upon returning to work
• Other benefit payroll deductions will be the
  responsibility of the employee
• Employee is entitled to collect 31 cents a mile
  for medical treatment provided travel is 20 or
  more miles roundtrip
• Employee must notify H.R. of possible travel
  reimbursement

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ACCIDENTS INVOLVING COUNTY VEHICLES

• Must be reported immediately whether or not
  accident results in a injury
• Report to Department Head, H.R. Department or
  County Manager
• All County policies and procedures for reporting
  the accidents must be followed

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ALCOHOL AND CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE

• TESTING
• Employee will be tested for drugs and alcohol
  following an on-the-job accident or illness that
  requires medical treatment by a licensed
  physician and/or involves one or more of the
  following
• A fatality
• Injury to an employee or other individual
• Accident involving a county owned vehicle
• After a sequence of minor accidents or injuries
  that may not require medical treatment from a
  licensed physician

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TESTING GUIDELINES

• Employee is to be tested as soon as possible
  following an accident
• Testing must not exceed eight (8) hours for
  alcohol testing and 32 hours for drug testing
  (employee involved in an accident must refrain
  from alcohol use for eight (8) hours following
  the accident or until he/she undergoes a post
  accident alcohol test
• It is the employees responsibility to refrain
  from the legal use of alcoholic beverages until
  testing is completed, NO EXCEPTIONS
• Drug testing will include prescription
  medications, all medication must be prescribed to
  you.

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DISCIPLINE AND CONSEQUENCES

• Failure to Report Injury
• Disciplinary action up to and including
  termination
• May be subject to denial of benefits under NC
  Workers Compensation Act
• Failure to Seek Authorized Medical Treatment
• Payment of bills incurred possibly denied
• Disciplinary action up to and including
  termination

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DISCIPLINE AND CONSEQUENCES

• Drug and Alcohol Testing
• Positive drug and alcohol testing will be subject
  to termination
• Refusal to submit to alcohol and drug testing
  will be subject to termination
• Additional information on Discipline, Grievance
  Procedures and Substance Abuse Policy is located
  at www.co.alexander.nc.us

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SUMMARY WRAP-UP

• It is the responsibility of each employee to
  follow set procedures when an accident or illness
  occurs that is found to be within the course and
  scope of their employment.
• Failure to follow the procedures set forth in
  the Workers Compensation Policy, Article IX in
  the Alexander County Personnel Policy may result
  in loss of Workers Compensation benefits and
  disciplinary action up to and including
  termination of employment

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IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT, EMPLOYEE SHOULD

• REPORT THE INJURY TO DEPARTMENT HEAD AND HUMAN
  RESOURCES IMMEDIATELY
• COMPLETE A FIRST REPORT OF INJURY OR ILLNESS
  FORM WITHIN 24 HOURS OF THE ACCIDENT
• NOTIFY DEPARTMENT HEAD AND HUMAN RESOURCES PRIOR
  TO RECEIVING MEDICAL TREATMENT (life threatening
  accidents or accidents occurring after normal 8-5
  working hours may be directed to the nearest
  hospital)

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IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT, EMPLOYEE SHOULD

• FOLLOW THE ORDERS OF THE APPROVED HEALTH-CARE
  PROVIDER
• REPORT TO DEPARTMENT HEAD AFTER EACH DOCTOR VISIT
  AND PROVIDE MEDICAL NOTES TO HUMAN RESOURCES
  PRIOR TO RETURNING TO
• WORK
• IF PLACED ON LIGHT DUTY WORK, OR OUT OF WORK BY
  AUTHORIZED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL CONTACT HUMAN
  RESOURCES FOR SPECIFIC RETURN TO WORK
  INSTRUCTIONS