Disability Case Management Specialist

Position Information

Title: Disability Case Management Specialist

Position Status: Regular Full-time

Department: Occupational Health & Safety

Site: Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre

About The Royal

As one of Canada’s foremost mental health care and academic health science centres, The Royal has a clear purpose: to get more people living with mental illness into recovery faster. This is at the core of everything we do and is driven by the passion, focus, and dedication of our employees. Every day, the work that we do transforms the lives of people with mental illness through specialized mental healthcare, advocacy, research, and education.

Reporting to the Manager, Labour Relations and Occupational Health Services, the Disability Case Management Specialist provides support to staff and facilitates the return to work of ill or injured employees as expeditiously as possible with collaboration from all applicable stakeholders while ensuring compliance with relevant legislation and organizational policies. This position is required to develop, implement and maintain injury prevention programs and interventions to promote a safe work environment for all ROHGC employees.

As an integral member of the Occupational Health & Safety team, the Disability Case Management Specialist employs disability case management principles to actively manage all disabled employees to effect an early, timely, and safe return to work.

Duties:

• Coordinate the disability program for staff who are unable to return to their regular duties as a result of an occupational or non-occupational illness or injury;
• Consult with the employee, supervisor, union, treating physician, and other stakeholders on abilities/restrictions, job demands, physical demands analysis, functional abilities forms, and timing of return to work;
• Convene RTW Team and case review meetings as required;
• Request and review medical documentation to confirm eligibility for sick leave pay and/or early and safe return to work opportunities;
• Review functional abilities forms and arrange for Independent Medical Evaluations, Functional Capacity Evaluations, and Occupational Therapy Assessments when necessary;
• Develop, implement, and monitor transitional Return to Work plans and accommodations in consultation with employees, healthcare providers, managers, human resources, and unions;
• Monitor employees’ absences through regular reviews of medical documents, and communication with employees and their healthcare providers to promote an early and safe return to work;
• Establish and maintain effective communication between all stakeholders, which includes Management, Human Resources/Labour Relations, Occupational Health Services, treating Physicians, WSIB representatives, Benefit/Insurance carriers, and Union Representatives to ensure proper case management;
• Work with managers and employees to develop and support absence prevention and early and safe RTW intervention strategies;
• Deliver program education to leaders, employees, and union representatives; and provide subject matter expertise and advice regarding STD/LTD/WSIB and return to work processes;
• Ensure confidentiality of all sensitive information pertaining to employees when developing and implementing return-to-work plans;
• Provide support to the corporate Chronic Illness and Attendance Support programs;
• Assist in monitoring working from home plans to meet individual and corporate needs of the hospital;
• Provide guidance to Managers regarding coding into HR/Payroll system in a timely and accurate manner to ensure appropriate pay for employees;
• Ensure a work environment that is conducive to the Royal’s Anti-Racism, Harassment, & Discrimination Free Workplace policy.
• Maintain employee data in the Company’s IS system.

Qualifications:

• Formal education in disability management, a University degree or equivalent in a related field e.g. Post-Secondary Education Diploma with Certificate in Disability Claims Management (CRTWC, CDMP) is an asset.
• Minimum of 3 -5 years of work experience in disability management, return to work programs, claims management, or an equivalent combination of education and experience preferably in a union environment is required.
• Designation in a health or health related profession (i.e.: Registered Nurse, Kinesiology, Physiotherapy, Ergonomics, Occupational Therapy) is required.
• Working knowledge of Part II of the Canada Labour Code, Canadian Human Rights legislation, Workers’ Compensations legislation, return to work principles, and disability management practices is required.
• Experience in disability case management, sick leave, and in facilitating safe and early return to work programs in occupational non-occupational disability/disease.
• Experience using physical demands analysis, ergonomic assessments, independent medical examinations, or vocational rehabilitation assessments as tools for disability management.
• Experience in an occupational health setting or Human Resources is considered an asset.
• Experience in Claims and Case Management for Short and Long Term Disability.
• Claims Management experience with WSIB.
• Ability to work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams to effectively manage the safe and timely return to work of injured or ill employees;
• Ability to foster and retain positive relationships with stakeholders (employee, manager, physicians, WSIB, unions);
• Demonstrated exceptional leadership, interpersonal, organizational, verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate with compassion and empathy;
• Proven ability to establish priorities and meet deadlines and demonstrated ability to work either independently or as part of a team; high tolerance of ambiguity and high initiative;
• Exceptional decision-making, analytical and problem-solving skills;
• Demonstrated ability to tackle contentious situations and negotiate positive results;
• Ability to exercise good judgement, diplomacy, discretion, and sensitivity to confidentiality, privacy and human rights;
• Sound knowledge of W.S.I.A., O.H.S.A., Human Rights Code, Ontarians with Disabilities Act, as well as employment and other related legislation;
• Excellent Computer Skills, knowledge of MS Office software, and Parklane an asset.
• English level A- is mandatory in oral expression, oral comprehension, reading comprehension and written expression. (English/French) is considered an asset.

Additional Information

• All applicants must provide a recent resume that clearly indicate that they meet the required qualifications.
• The Royal sincerely thanks all applicants for their interest in a career with us; however, only those applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.
• All new hires will be required to obtain a clear and valid Criminal Record or Vulnerable Sector Records Check as a pre-condition of employment.
• The Royal is an equal opportunity employer. Upon request, accommodations due to a disability are available throughout the recruitment process.