Workers Comp Disability Levels – A Quick Review
One of our weekly newsletter readers (thanks for reading) had emailed in this question last week on workers comp disability terms. The question – we have a good long-term worker who was injured on the job last month. He was out of work with Temporary Total disability, and now the Doctor has released him to part-time, lighter duty work.
Our claims adjuster has now converted his payments from Temporary Total to Temporary Partial. Now he receives varying amounts on his workers comp check. We turn in his hours weekly to the claims office.
How does Temporary Partial disability work? Is there something different we should do for our employee?
Kansas, like most states, provides a guide to help employers. Check out Kansas here.
Adjusters usually use many acronyms, as in almost any profession. You will likely see TTD, TPD, PPD, and TPD used in most states, including Kansas.
Answer
Reporting the reduced wages to the carrier each week on an urgent basis allows the carrier or TPA, if self-insured, to make timely payments. Making timely payments at this juncture in the claim assures the injured employee that everything has been done to make the light-duty return to work as successful as possible.
The best way to answer their question starts with reviewing the definitions of each disability level. The employer, located in Kansas, would have the following four workers comp disability levels. Yes, each state may provide different disability terms. The concept remains the same.
Temporary Total – completely out of work, will receive a set amount per week. A waiting period may apply. If the treating physician returns the injured employee to work on lighter duty, but the employer cannot accommodate the restrictions, then Temporary Total will be paid until a full-duty return to work.
Accommodating a light-duty return to work release by the Doctor has always been a great way to save on Workers Comp premiums. The situation becomes a win-win for the employer and employee. If the carrier or TPA assigned a rehabilitation nurse to the file, that person becomes a great help for a gainful return to work, including light-duty considerations.
Temporary Partial – From our Kansas example in the reader’s question, 2/3 of the difference between the pre-accident wages, less the light-duty return-to-work wages = equals the varying amount owed to the injured worker. The emphasis here will be on a gainful return to full duty work.
Keeping an injured employee involved in the workplace reaps great benefits for all involved with the claim.
Permanent Partial – After reaching maximum medical improvement (MMI), the treating physician assigns a permanency rating to each injured body part. The injured employee receives payments for the number of weeks for each injured body part.
Permanent Total – The injured employee can never return to work at their prior job or very likely any job made available to them. Some states have a limit on the number of weeks. Some states allow lifetime benefits.
Side Note on Workers Comp Disability – Important
One of the silent effects comes from the injured worker’s co-employees seeing and remembering how they were treated post-injury by the employer. Make this a major consideration that goes beyond a gainful return to work.
