Return to Work Program

Bryant University has a Return to Work (RTW) Program designed to assist employees in returning to useful, productive work as soon as possible after a period of disability. The program works in coordination with federal and state laws including FMLA, RIPFMLA, ADA, Workers’ Compensation and TDI. The RTW efforts are designed to allow an employee to return to their job using their existing skills, including restrictions and/or limitations.

Upon notice of an employee’s disability, the operational needs of the department and the employee’s situation are reviewed to determine if a RTW plan is feasible. If it is determined that a RTW plan is appropriate, the RTW options will be reviewed and discussed with the employee by a Human Resources (HR) Department representative.

As part of the RTW process, the HR representative will request information from the employee’s doctor on any restrictions and/or limitations the employee may have in returning to work. Additionally, the employee’s manager is consulted and asked to identify short-term accommodations that can be made to an employee’s current job. As the projected end of the employee’s disability nears, both the employee and manager will develop a RTW plan given the restrictions and/or limitations provided by the physician. Generally, the RTW plan may be up to 30 days in length and may be extended based on operational needs.

The RTW plan is monitored weekly by the manager to ensure the employee is progressing according to schedule. If the manager feels that the employee’s recuperation is faster or slower than anticipated, the manager should contact the HR representative to determine whether the RTW plan needs adjustment. Additionally, an employee whose recovery is faster than expected should contact the HR representative to discuss their return to work.

Employees who have been released to go back to work without restrictions would not be eligible for the RTW program.