ESW Specialist

Employee Support and Wellness Specialist

Human Resource Services and Employee Well-Being

PASS Grade 5 $84,428 to $95,024

About The Board

The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) is committed to learning, equity, engagement and innovation. We are guided by our vision, Growing Together, the mission that every student experiences a sense of belonging and engages in dynamic learning to reach their potential and build their own future, and our values of Compassion, Dignity, Trust, and Joy to guide our daily work and ensure that we honour the unique identities and needs of all. Proudly serving a community of approximately 50,000 students in the City of Hamilton and surrounding area, HWDSB operates across 80 elementary schools, 13 secondary schools and 1 Adult Learning Centre, in addition to providing support and service to approximately 8,800 staff members.

Staff Wellness

At HWDSB, staff wellness is a priority. We are committed to co-creating and fostering an environment where staff feel safe, valued, and supported. We are continuously striving to support the needs of our diverse community and actively work to foster and maintain a culture of human rights.

Our holistic Staff Wellness program has been designed to support employee's well-being in all dimensions of health. As one part of this comprehensive program, all staff as well as their dependents have access to free and confidential supports through our Employee and Family Assistance Provider (EFAP), in addition to many other program components.

About The Role

Reporting to the Employee Support and Wellness Officer, the incumbent will be responsible for the overall adjudication of claims through development, implementation and monitoring comprehensive adjudication plans to support the HWDSB Employee Support and Wellness Strategic Plan.

Duties Include But Are Not Limited To

• Develop, implement, and monitor comprehensive and integrated adjudication plans for all activity in the case required to achieve recovery, community integration, and where possible, return to work (RTW) by:
• Collecting information to make initial entitlement and assessments to progress the case; assessing and positioning each case along its appropriate recovery path; setting goals and making initial entitlement decisions based on legislation, collective agreements, terms and conditions Board policy, and best practices.
• Planning activities in collaboration with workplace parties and team members; participating in case conferences with the vendors, unions and management; coordinating and taking action on planned activities; reviewing and monitoring new information as received.
• Closing plan activities when active adjudication is no longer required; following up and evaluating closed cases to ensure adjudication plan continues to be effective.
• Provide targeted activities focused on identifying RTW factors, removing obstacles/barriers, and leveraging opportunities to facilitate a safe return to suitable work by:
• Co-ordinating and facilitating RTW cooperation between the workplace parties;
• Arranging, assessing, and adjusting the delivery of work reintegration services where needed;
• Promoting prevention, disability management, RTW, and related programs to workplace parties; sharing best practices; connecting workplace parties with expert resources when they would benefit from increased capability to prevent and/or manage injuries and illness;
• Keeping all workplace parties informed of the status and progress of the case, ensuring they are fully engaged in removing barriers to, and planning RTW.
• Investigate and consult with the ESW Officer on escalated ESW issues including appeals regarding Occupational and Non-Occupational Health Care Benefits entitlement.
• Collaborate with employees, union representatives, supervisory staff, insurance carriers and health care providers in proactive and confidential management of occupational and non-occupational absences.
• Facilitate and create individual accommodation plans/modified work plans to ensure timely intervention and meet all legal and collective agreement/terms and conditions obligations.
• Communicate with SBCI, WSIB, Legal, EAP, outside resources and companies to support collection and dissemination of accurate information and documentation.
• Meet regularly with the Employee Support and Wellness Officer(s) to review caseload and establish adjudication service metrics
• Demonstrated experience in facilitating and charting claim documentation on early and safe return to work and/or attendance improvement adjudication
• Other duties as assigned
  
  

Qualifications

• Post-secondary diploma/degree related to Business/Human Resources, Healthcare, Kinesiology, Occupational Therapist, Rehabilitation with three years of adjudication or case management experience in a multi-unionized environment; or equivalent combination of related education with progressive years of experience in disability management
• Thorough understanding of the Human Rights Code, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), Occupational Health and Safety Act, Workplace Safety Insurance Act, Employment Standards Act, as well as other related legislation
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications; experience with Disability Management software would be considered an asset
• Disability Management Certificate/Diploma and/or Human Resources Diploma (CHRP/L) would be considered an asset
• Strong written and verbal communication skills to enable effective interactions with staff, management, union representatives, health care professionals and third party insurer representatives with respect to sensitive and confidential issues
• Demonstrated commitment to working in a diverse school community and/or work environment
• Valid driver's license and reliable transportation required
  
  

Deadline for submission is 4:00 p.m. on Friday, July 11, 2025.

Employment Equity Statement

Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) is committed to building inclusive learning and working environments where students see themselves reflected in the curriculum, staff population, physical surroundings and the broader community.

HWDSB's mission is to empower students to learn and grow to their full potential in a diverse world. Guided by this mission, HWDSB strives to build a workforce that embodies the values of human rights, equity, diversity and inclusion, while reflecting and welcoming the diverse and distinct identities, experiences and needs of our students and our communities.

HWDSB Seeks Qualified Candidates Who Share Our Commitment To Equity And Inclusion, And Who Will Contribute To The Vision Of Creating Inclusive And Equitable Outcomes. HWDSB Especially Invites And Welcomes Applications From

• Indigenous Peoples (e.g., First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples).
• Members of groups that commonly experience discrimination due to race, ancestry, colour, religion and/or spiritual beliefs, or place of origin (e.g., Black and racialized communities, immigrant communities, etc.).
• Persons with visible and/or invisible (physical and/or mental) disabilities.
• Persons who identify as women.
• Persons of marginalized sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions. (i.e., Two-spirit and LGBTQIA+).
  
  

As part of HWDSB's commitment to employment equity and removing barriers to groups that have faced and continue to face barriers in employment, we invite all applicants to complete a voluntary questionnaire that collects identity-based information. The voluntary questionnaire is on the Apply to Education application page for this position.

HWDSB is committed to providing accommodation throughout the recruitment and selection process, based on any human rights protected grounds. If you require accommodation, please notify us in advance and we will work with you to meet your needs.

Land Acknowledgement

HWDSB is located on ancestral Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee Confederacy land as determined by the Dish with One Spoon treaty. The Dish with One Spoon wampum belt represents the treaty relationship between the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and Anishinaabe with respect to sharing the land and resources thereon. The intent of this agreement is for all nations sharing this territory to do so responsibly, respectfully and sustainably in perpetuity. We respect the longstanding relationships with the local Indigenous communities, the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the Six Nations of the Grand River.

Applicant Self-Identification Form

The information collected on this form is used to monitor HWDSB's progress toward our equity goals including our commitment to diversity in HWDSB recruitment and hiring practices. ?We are committed to the security and confidentiality of information under our control, and to the protection of privacy with respect to personal and confidential information that is collected, used, disclosed and retained in the system . Information on this form is collected pursuant to (Ministry of Education) and in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act . Access to this form is restricted to specific individuals in Human Resources. The Research and Analytics Department will use aggregate data from all the forms (not individual data) for internal reporting. Their access and use of the data is governed by MFIPPA and . Applicant Self-Identification Forms will be maintained in the Human Resources job competition file and securely destroyed 1 year after the job posting for candidates not selected for an interview and 6 years after the job posting for candidates interviewed, in accordance with general records retention principles. If you prefer not to answer any of the questions, you can select “prefer not to answer”. This in no way affects your application or the applicant selection process. If you have questions or concerns about this form please contact .