Returning to work after a workplace injury can be a terrifying idea for a person who has suffered much trauma and pain. In such a scenario, a person must seek the help of experts like a vocational rehabilitation counselor who can help them alleviate those fears and be more confident in themselves. Here is a short guide on a vocational rehabilitation counselor’s role in helping a person return to work. 

The Beginning

The vocational rehabilitation counselor will listen to your side of the story about the accident or injury and how it made you feel. They will then ask what you expect about the return to work and discuss whether your aspirations are realistic or not. 

The Analysis

A smart counselor would also conduct a transferrable skills analysis assessment to know what skills you possess and what skills you need to develop. 

Checking Your Fitness

The vocational rehabilitation counselor will then check your fitness level by talking to your health care professionals about your physical, mental, and emotional health. The counselor will often talk to your family or friends to judge whether you are ready to return to work. Only when all of them give the green light will the vocational rehabilitation counselor help you to look for a job. 

Connecting with Previous Employer

Once the vocational rehabilitation counselor determines that you still have the skills needed for the job you were doing before the injury, they will talk to your employer to give you your job back. In this stage, the vocational counselor and your employer might decide that you need to do modified or transitional work to avoid putting too much strain on yourself. 

As the name suggests, modified work means that you will be doing the work you did earlier, but you will need to take on fewer responsibilities than you did due to your disability or health restrictions.

Transitional work means that when an employer allows you to take on some responsibilities, measures your performance, and then lets you get back to full-time work.

The counselor will also work with your employer to find a person who can help make your return to work easy. It can be anyone from a colleague or friend you had at work or your previous manager or supervisor. 

Looking for Other Options

In case your previous employer cannot or would not hire you back or offer reasonable work at good pay, the vocational rehabilitation counselor will collaborate with you to help you find another job. They will help you upgrade your skills, knowledge, or education and help you land a new job at a new workplace where you are compensated well. 

Offering Ongoing Support

The vocational rehabilitation counselor will check on you from time to time to ensure that you are happy with the return to work scenario and you have got your life back on track again. 

Trust the Experts!

If you need the assistance of a return to work counselor or a vocational rehabilitation counselor, you can connect with the team of Laura M. Wilson & Associates Inc. 

We provide a wide array of services such as SJDB Service, RTWSP Service, Expert Witness, Vocational Evaluation, Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling Services, and Transferable Skills Analysis. Our vocational rehabilitation counselors will decide which services are right for you and offer a solution that helps you return to work and retain your job. To know more about how we can help, you can book an appointment here or call us toll-free on (800) 531-5608.

Sources:

https://www.icare.nsw.gov.au/injured-or-ill-people/motor-accident-injuries/returning-to-work-or-education/returning-to-work-after-a-severe-injury#gref

https://www.newyorklife.com/group-benefit-solutions/employees/work-wellness/returning-after-disability