Pass 312 Disability Management Officer

**Career**Opportunity**

**PASS**312**Disability**Management**Officer**

**Temporary**3**Month**Contract**(with**the**possibility**to**extend)**Internal/External**

Schools and administrative sites within the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board (HWCDSB) give witness to the truth that Jesus Christ is the foundation and the heart of Catholic Education and the centre of its community. Central to this vibrant and student focused system is a vision of students as uniquely created in the image of God. This commitment is expressed and realized in the Board's Mission which is:

- “In_ _union_ _with_ _our_ _Bishop,_ _to_ _enable_ _all_ _learners_ _to_ _realize_ _the_ _fullness_ _of_ _humanity_ _of_ _which_ _our_ _Lord_ _Jesus_ _Christ_ _is_ _the_ _model”_ _
- First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples, and all other Indigenous peoples;
- members of groups that commonly experience discrimination due to race, ancestry, colour or place of origin;
- persons with visible and/or invisible (physical and/or mental) disabilities**.**

**Date**of**Appointment**:**Immediate**

**Reporting**to**:**Senior Manager of Labour and Employee Relations **Description**:**

The Disability Management (DM) Officer is responsible for implementing the Disability Management Program (all injured or ill employees), while ensuring compliance with applicable legislation. The DM Officer must exercise considerable independent judgment, tact, and sensitivity in dealing with internal and external contacts.

**Duties**include**but**are**not**limited**to**:**
- Claims Management - monitors STD (short term disability) sick leave, LTD (Long term disability) and WSIB claims
- Researches, analyzes information/data, prepares and presents-arguments with facts and rationale as required to dispute a Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) claim or appeal a WSIB decision
- Manages caseloads for employee in various stages of absence continuum
- Manage claims in collaboration with WSIB to ensure resolutions and closure of active claims.
- Communication - Assists senior management and HR staff in identifying needs, assessing, and understanding medical restrictions, communicates options to facilitate early, safe return to work (RTW) and stay at work (SAW) plans.
- Maintains contact with the employee and his/her Supervisor while participating in a RTW/SAW plan
- Develops and implements RTW plans, provides consultation on worksite accommodation, including investigating the need for ergonomic assessment and/or acquirement of assistive devices, if required.
- Outsource and/or contract services and equipment, when required.
- Maintains regular contact with WSIB, to ensure speedy resolution of active cases
- Liaison with WSIB/Health Professionals as needed i.e. Specialty Clinic Assessments, FAE providers
- Documentation - Reviews medical information and verifies that the documentation supports the medical reason for absence in relation to the demands of the job.
- Maintains confidential information as legally and ethically required.
- Return to Work - Determine issues to address when an employee returns to work.
- Assesses information received regarding an employee's functional abilities and decides the appropriate intervention approach;
- Works with Supervisors and ill/injured employees to help identify accommodations to address physical and emotional needs, to make referrals, where applicable, to internal or external resources to ensure appropriate treatment is being sought, as per physician's recommendations. Based on information obtained, formulates realistic rehabilitation goals, and provides support and counselling to ensure a successful RTW/SAW.
- Lead and facilitate RTW meetings with the employee, WSIB, LTD carrier,

Union representatives, and Supervisors/Principals.
- Grievances/Appeals/Tribunals
- Assist Senior Manager of Labour Relations and Labour Relations Officer by providing case material (specific to grieved action and background) and reviewing grievance responses related to DM
- Initiate a WSIB appeal by preparing comprehensive objection letters to appeal a decision and requesting access to file
- Coordinates the compiling of documentations such as witness reports statements in preparation for appeals, tribunals/responses to WSIB in review of questionable and complex cases.

**Qualifications**:**
**Educational**qualifications**:**
- Post-secondary diploma/degree related to Disability Management/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

**Experience**:**
- Three (3) years' experience in Disability Case Management, Workplace Accommodation and Rehabilitation.
- Excellent collaboration and negotiation skills. Experience in a unionized environment an asset.
- Excellent written and verbal communication sk