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Workers' Compensation
- General Info
- Medical Care
- Employee Obligations
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- Reports & Follow Up
- Lost Work Time
- Compensation Eligibility
- Employee Benefits
- Modified Duty
Workers' Compensation provides medical benefits, and in some cases, income benefits to employees who sustain a work-related injury or illness when that employee is disabled from performing his or her job.
The Town of Wellesley is self-insured for Workers’ Compensation, which means that all Workers’ Compensation payments are paid by the Town, not by an insurance company.
All work place incidents which involve physical injury or illness, no matter how minor, are to be reported by the employee (in person, if able) to his/her supervisor immediately after the incident occurs. Incidents should be reported even if no medical care is required.
It is the policy of the Town of Wellesley that all work related injuries and illnesses receive prompt and appropriate medical attention, and all incidents are investigated to reduce hazards in the workplace.
If the incident involves an injury or illness which requires medical care, please seek appropriate care at one of the following health care providers:
Life Threatening Emergency
Call 911 in the case of an emergency. Any employee complaining of shortness of breath or chest pain or who shows signs of severe injury/illness (severe bleeding, severe abdominal pain, respiratory distress, possible fractures, etc.) should be transported by ambulance to the Emergency Department. The employee should not drive themselves to the hospital.Non-Life Threatening
- School employees may first see the school nurse, if available, to receive first aid.
- Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital- Needham Occupational Health Services (PDF) is our preferred provider. Don't worry about billing or asking for a doctor's note! They can provide immediate care for non-life threatening injuries between the hours of 8:00 am and 4:00 pm, M,T,W,F and 8:00 am and 12:00 pm on Th. They can also triage you to the BID-Needham Emergency Room. Please call 781-453-8440 to notify them that you are coming, or to make an appointment. Please bring your job description with you, or notify the Workers' Comp Coordinator and your job description will be faxed to BID-Needham.
- You may also see your own doctor for treatment.
- Report injury to supervisor immediately.
- Complete and sign an Incident Report /Authorization to Release Medical Records
- If absence from work is needed, have the health care provider give you a signed, written status update after each doctor’s visit. Send each status update to the Workers’ Compensation Coordinator.
- Until full return to work occurs, maintain weekly contact with the Workers’ Compensation Coordinator.
- Before returning to work, the health care provider must complete the Return to Work form. Send the completed Return to Work form (PDF) to the Workers’ Compensation Coordinator. You may not return to work until this form is received by the Workers’ Compensation Coordinator.
- Some positions may require a Fitness For Duty Exam to be performed by BID-Needham Occupational Health Services, before you can return to work. The Workers' Compensation Coordinator will notify you if you need to schedule this exam.
- Ensure appropriate medical care is received immediately. Do not let the employee drive to the hospital with a serious injury.
- Make sure the employee completes an Incident Report right away. You need to sign off on it. If completed online, you will receive an email from "SeamlessDocs". Please click on link to review and sign.
- Complete an Accident Investigation Report (within 24 hours) of the occurrence and send to the Workers’ Compensation Coordinator. Your supervisor or Department Head should review and sign as well.
- When an employee is out more than 5 calendar days for a work related injury/illness (these do not need to be consecutive), the supervisor must notify the Workers’ Compensation Coordinator. It is essential that the 5th lost work day be reported promptly since the Town is subject to fines if the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Industrial Accidents does not receive notice of this.
- For employees who lose work days due to a work-related injury or illness, do not allow employee to return to work until the Workers’ Compensation Coordinator has notified you that the employee has been approved by the health care provider to return.
All incidents must be reported to ensure that any medical claims will be processed promptly and actions taken to reduce the risk of injuries to employees in the future.
Our third party administrator, CCMSI, administers all workers’ compensation claims and will follow up with the employee. The Workers’ Compensation Coordinator will also follow up with the employee. The supervisor should forward any updates received by the employee to the Workers' Compensation Coordinator.
Those employees who receive care at BID-Needham Occupational Health Services, will have updates and return to work forms automatically completed and sent to the Workers' Compensation Coordinator.
Our third party administrator, CCMSI, administers all workers’ compensation claims and will follow up with the employee. The Workers’ Compensation Coordinator will also follow up with the employee. The supervisor should forward any updates received by the employee to the Workers' Compensation Coordinator.
Those employees who receive care at BID-Needham Occupational Health Services, will have updates and return to work forms automatically completed and sent to the Workers' Compensation Coordinator.
If you lose work days due to an injury at work, please notify the Workers' Compensation Coordinator. Otherwise, you will delay receiving the benefits you may be entitled to.
Employees who lose work days because of a work related injury or illness will be followed by the Workers’ Compensation Coordinator until full return to work occurs. Each injured/ill employee must contact the Workers’ Compensation Coordinator on a weekly basis until full return to work occurs.
An injured or ill employee becomes eligible for workers’ compensation benefits when he/she sustains a work related injury or illness and is incapacitated from earning full wages for more than five calendar days (the days do not have to be consecutive).
If the employee is disabled for twenty days or less, workers’ compensation benefits shall only be paid from the sixth day. Days one through five shall be paid from the employee’s accrued sick leave benefits. If, however, the disability extends for a period of twenty-one days or more, compensation shall be paid from the first day.
Injured or ill employees are eligible to receive 60% of their average weekly wage. Under M.G.L. Chapter 152, S.1, the average weekly wage (which includes overtime) is defined as “the earnings of the injured employee during the period of twelve calendar months immediately preceding the date of the injury, divided by fifty-two.” The employee is also entitled to reasonable and necessary medical care, subject to approval.
If the employee is disabled for twenty days or less, workers’ compensation benefits shall only be paid from the sixth day. Days one through five shall be paid from the employee’s accrued sick leave benefits. If, however, the disability extends for a period of twenty-one days or more, compensation shall be paid from the first day.
Injured or ill employees are eligible to receive 60% of their average weekly wage. Under M.G.L. Chapter 152, S.1, the average weekly wage (which includes overtime) is defined as “the earnings of the injured employee during the period of twelve calendar months immediately preceding the date of the injury, divided by fifty-two.” The employee is also entitled to reasonable and necessary medical care, subject to approval.
Employees receiving workers’ compensation benefits will remain on the Town of Wellesley’s benefit plan. Normal deductions will be taken from the employee’s paycheck, providing there are sufficient funds available to do so. Otherwise, the employee will be billed for the employee share of monthly premiums. Prompt payment must be made or benefits will be terminated.
The employee may be eligible to return to work at modified duty. The workers’ compensation coordinator will work with the employee, medical provider, and department head to make appropriate accommodations. Modified duty may not be available for all positions. This will be looked at on a case by case basis.