Job Demands Analysis: A Way Forward Through Permanent Work Restrictions
by Dan Headrick
As injured workers walk the sometimes-long road of recovery, and as employers walk alongside that employee during that healing process, progression to previous work duties or new work duties has hurdles. One of the hardest hurdles to overcome by the employee is finding work with permanent work restrictions; and for employers the difficulty becomes working employees safely with permanent work restrictions. Permanent work restrictions are just that: permanent, when written by the authorized treating physician, and those work restrictions are usually based in some type of work ability assessment through testing or treatment by the Occupational Therapist, Physical Therapist, or Athletic Trainer that are certified and trained in work ability determinations.
Therapists attempt to lessen restrictions by focusing on ability, and Physicians do the same during the rehabilitation process, but at the end of the case, safe work ability has to be determined. Through education, experience, and post-graduate training and certification, determining functional ability which includes work ability is the wheelhouse of the rehabilitation professional.¹ However, in determining work ability, an inability always occurs. All of us, whether we are injured or not injured, have a physical ability, and because we have physical ability, we also have an inability. A worker who can lift 50lbs safely, cannot lift 55lbs safely. So, when work ability is determined by the therapist, and agreed to by the treating physician, a restriction automatically occurs. And these restrictions can negatively impact employability of the injured worker, because that injured worker will only qualify for jobs within their ability, or within the restrictions set by the authorized treating physician, assuming the injured employee is honest with reporting their permanent work restrictions to their next employment opportunity.
There is a way forward, a ray of light if you will, through this conundrum of permanent work restrictions arising out of work ability assessment; Job Demands Analysis (JDA). JDAs are different than job descriptions in that JDAs focus on the physical ability necessary to complete job tasks. In a solid JDA, job tasks are defined by national standards sourced from the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT).
DOT CLASSIFICATION OF WORK
These standard definitions are utilized by therapists to determine a job’s physical requirements, and a client’s work ability; and physicians use these definitions to set temporary or permanent work restrictions based on the client’s medical status or demonstrated work ability. If JDAs are present and validated as an accurate representation of the job tasks, then the client’s ability can be matched to the job requirements. And, instead of the injured worker receiving work ability recommendations of lifting up to 50lbs, which means the client cannot lift over 50lbs, a restriction; the injured worker receives a “met job demands” work recommendation. With that recommendation, permanent work restrictions based on tested work ability transforms from an inability to ability. The injured worker met job demands, so are permanent work restrictions necessary?
We all have physical abilities and thus we have physical inabilities. Our way forward to cross the hurdle of permanent work restrictions is through ability and comparing that ability to objective and validated physical requirements of job tasks. The JDA is that tool to help the client, medical team, payer sources, and employers to refocus all stakeholders in an injury claim on ability.
REFERENCES
- Rules Of The Tennessee Board of Physical Therapy Chapter 1150-01, General Rules Governing The Practice of Physical Therapy, https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/rules/1150/1150-01.20180709.pdf, page 5
ABOUT DAN HEADRICK
Dan Headrick PT, CEAS III, CETS, Astym cert., MA is the Industrial Specialist with STAR Physical Therapy, and he is the originator of the JDA Portion of the REWARD program. Dan is a Physical Therapist with over 30 years of experience and post-graduate certifications in the areas of ergonomic assessment and employment testing. Dan performs Functional Capacity Evaluations, formulates Work Conditioning programming, and assists employers on-site with Job Analysis, and origination of injury prevention programming. He is married to his college sweetheart, has four amazing children, and serves as an Associate Pastor at Portland Church of the Nazarene.
R.E.W.A.R.D. PROGRAM: RETURN EMPLOYEES TO WORK AND REDUCE DISABILITIES
Formal job demand analyses should be written by a trained professional. It will permit the return-to-work coordinator to ask the injured worker’s treating physician if the injured employee could return to temporary work in these particular jobs, while hopefully continuing to improve toward ultimate return to unrestricted work and the employee’s original job. For more information on job demand analyses download the REWARD Program Toolkit.
MEET WITH LIKE-MINDED EMPLOYERS
The next REWARD Employer Support virtual meeting will be on Tuesday, October 22nd at 1 PM central time via Microsoft Teams featuring Jason Parker, Work Disability Consultant. In this session, Jason will break down the art (and science) of making workplace accommodations. He will dive into practical strategies that go beyond the basics, helping you build RTW plans that are both compliant and truly supportive. You’ll learn how to use the AIM4RTW Framework to engage with your employees in a way that fosters trust and collaboration and gain a clearer understanding of how to interpret and apply medical restrictions and limitations.
FREE TRAINING FOR EMPLOYERS
Find out when enrollment begins for the next RTW Coordinator Training.
Disclaimer: Views expressed in the REWARD Report are solely those of the authors and may not reflect the official policy or position of the Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, the Tennessee Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims, the Tennessee Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board, or any other public, private, or nonprofit organization. Information contained in the REWARD Report is for educational purposes only.