What is the Integrated Disability Management Process?
IID has worked very hard to provide employees who have experienced work or non-work related medical issues with the opportunity to return to work as soon as determined medically appropriate by the treating physician. 

Statistics show that after being off for one month or more, few employees will actually return to work. In an effort to prevent this, the state has mandated that employers should begin having discussions with the employee and their immediate supervisors as soon as possible, to explore all possible options that will get you back to work as soon as possible.  

INTEGRATED DISABILITY MANAGEMENT PROCESS:

Phase I:          
When a medical issue exists for two (2) or more months and performance of the essential functions of the job are impacted, an initial interactive, reasonable accommodation meeting is held with you and your department representatives to begin an exchange of information. 
 

Phase II:         
When a medical issue prevents you from resuming your usual job functions and no readily achievable, effective accommodations are available, the interactive process continues.  This phase will include evaluation of reassignment opportunities to current openings for which you meet the basic job qualifications.  This phase of the interactive process lasts for up to sixty (60) days in accordance with the current federal guidelines form the Equal Opportunity Commission (EEOC).  During this phase representatives from IID’s Employment & Compensation section are actively involved on your behalf. 
 

Phase III:        
When successful accommodations are identified and implemented through either a job accommodation or reassignment to a current opening, a return-to-work monitoring period begins to assess the effectiveness of the accommodations and to troubleshoot any difficulties encountered.  This part of the process typically lasts thirty (30) to sixty (60) days. 
 

Phase IV:        
When no readily achievable accommodations are available, either through job accommodation or reassignment to a current opening, it may be necessary to conclude the employment relationship and provided you the opportunity to seek other career opportunities. 

This involves a legal review, which may include the following participants:            

• District legal counsel specializing in employment issues.                               
• District workers’ compensation legal counsel, if work related.                       
• Representative(s) from our workers’ compensation claims administrator, Tri-Star Risk Management.                                   
• Supervisor, Employee Benefits Services                                   
• Supervisor or representative from Employment & Compensation
• Human Resources Assistant
• Disability Management                                   
• Integrated disability management/return-to-work consultant                   

The following may be invited to participate in legal review if needed:                 

• Employee’s supervisor                              
• Employee’s department manager                                   
• Manager, Human Resources Services 

Phase V:         
This represents the final state of the interactive disability management process. Either a final meeting is held to confirm the success of your job accommodations accomplished or to review your final status and available benefits as your employment IID concludes.

How long does this process last?
The entire integrated disability management process may take just a couple of months or several months depending upon the complexity of the medical issue, the availability of sufficient medical information that you provide, the nature of the essential functions performed, available accommodations, as well as the skills you possess for consideration of reassignment to other current openings.   

You are the most important participant in this process.  Your input is valuable to the goal of returning you to work.  Please keep in mind that your case is unique and based on its own merit.  Cooperation by all of the representatives identified as part of the interactive process, including your treating physician, is imperative.  This is a team effort and our results prove it works.