A well-documented Return to Work Program will assist you and your employee during the return to work process. Under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, employers must document all modified work offerings and return to work programs. This webtip provides key strategies to document a return to work program.

As we age, visual impairments become more apparent at the workplace. Our natural visual capabilities change as our years progress but our work demands appear to remain the same. Also, as individuals age, they are more prone to visual disturbances related to health issues such as diabetic retinopathy, cataracts and macular degeneration. This webtip focuses on strategies to accommodate individuals with visual impairments in the workplace.

The duty to accommodate individuals in the workplace usually falls to the employer as outlined in the legislation (both the Human Rights Code and the Workers' Compensation Act). It is easy, some may say, for the employee to sit back and let the process be done to him/her. This type of approach unfortunately leads to failed accommodation methods and sometimes a negative response from the employee. This webtip focuses on the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders in the accommodation process.

Individuals with mental health problems have long been stigmatized in our society. This has contributed to people concealing that they are having difficulty coping or are experiencing a major mental health illness (such as depression, schizophrenia, bi-polar disorder, etc.). Statistics indicate that, although these health problems may be hidden, they do exist and compromise an individual's ability to cope with everyday functions, including work. As an employer, what can you do to assist employees who may be experiencing a mental health problem?

The following are some excerpts of articles specific to chronic pain and ethnicity. The research on chronic pain includes the impact of culture and ethnicity in the coping strategies used for chronic pain.

This year Gowan Health's tips of the month will focus on the issues associated with the duty to accommodate disabled workers. The first in this series involves the cost benefit of accommodation. This webtip will focus on the cost benefit of accommodating individuals in the workplace. The research and cost benefit equations is provided.