Complexities with return to work after violence can be bridged: Panel

PHILADELPHIA — By acknowledging employees’ hesitation, fears and uncertainty — and by offering safe, meaningful modified work options — employers can make a return to work after a violent workplace incident feel collaborative instead of imposed, according to panelists Wednesday at the Risk & Insurance Management Society’s Riskworld conference.

Tammy Bradley, Birmingham, Alabama-based vice president of clinical strategies and market insights at Enlyte, opened the session with a stark reminder that workplace violence is becoming a bigger workers compensation issue.

Ms. Bradley cited National Council on Compensation Insurance data showing a 5.3% increase in workplace assaults between 2011 and 2022 and a 63% jump in assaults per 1,000 workers over that period. “These trends make it clear that violence prevention is inseparable from any effective return-to-work strategy.”

To illustrate the challenge, Ms. Bradley presented a common workers comp case study: a 36-year-old store clerk robbed at gunpoint while working alone. The worker suffered bruising and acute emotional distress. Attendees were asked to identify barriers to returning the employee to work and strategies to overcome them.

Working in small groups, risk managers reached similar conclusions — that the employee might never be able to return to that same store.

But that assumption, panelists said, is exactly what employers must rethink.

Jean Feldman, Tampa, Florida-based director of managed care at Sentry Insurance, said employers and insurers need to stop focusing only on physical injuries and instead consider what an employee is able to do — not just what restrictions they have.

“I like to think what they’re able to do. Put it in a positive spin,” Ms. Feldman said. “We need to start changing our jargon that we use so often, from restrictions for the injured worker to something more user friendly — what they can do.”

That could mean modified duty in a different department, a different shift or even a different location if the original worksite triggers fear or anxiety. In some cases, she said, a nurse case manager can help bridge that transition.

“This is where on our more complex claims is where a nurse case manager can come in and assist,” she said, helping claim teams understand whether an employee has real fear about returning to a specific workplace and how to guide that recovery process.

Kelly Hagenbuch, corporate safety director at Hospital Central Services, a hospital supply company, said return-to-work planning must be embedded within workplace violence prevention programs.

That starts with clear reporting processes, strong job descriptions and regular physician engagement. At her organization, physicians visit job sites and observe tasks firsthand so they can better assess safe work options.

“We can’t have that ‘well, we’ve always done it that way’ mentality,” Ms. Hagenbuch said. “We need to move forward with the times.”

She also urged employers to carefully evaluate employee assistance programs rather than treating them as a check-the-box benefit, noting that strong EAP access can reduce claim duration and help employees return faster.

Panelists said successful programs rely on strong communication, quick reporting and partnership among employers, employees, medical providers and claims professionals. Return-to-work plans should consider operational impacts and avoid rushing employees back before they are physically and emotionally ready.

“Don’t unnecessarily return to work,” Ms. Hagenbuch said. “We want to make sure, from an employer’s perspective, that the environment is safe … and then, is the employee ready, physically, emotionally?”