Getting hurt at work or at home is something no employee wants to have happen. When this does happen, it is not just the employee who is affected. It also affects their spouse, children and the company they work for.

There are a few different scenarios that could happen. Let’s start with getting hurt on the job. As an example, an employee hurts his hand while working. He should report it to his supervisor and get treated at First Aid. If it is serious enough to warrant a hospital visit, the company will supply transportation to the hospital to get the injury looked after. It is the responsibility of the employee to get a FAF (Functional Abilities Form) filled out by a doctor, if there are any restrictions...When the doctor has finished writing out the FAF, it is the employee’s responsibility, again, to read the FAF and agree with all of the restrictions. If the employee does not agree with what is on the FAF, then the employee must get the doctor to change it. The employee should make sure the FAF is brought back to their work department that day, if able to. In some situations, after leaving the hospital, depending on the injury, an employee will not go back to work, but will go home for day. On the day of an injury, the company will pay the employee for the full shift. If after being treated at the hospital; the employee can return to work, modified work should be put in place, if required.

If after being treated at the hospital, the doctor has sent the employee home for the day, the employee should contact their work department and explain what the restrictions are according to the FAF. In most cases, the company will find meaningful work for all injured employees, whether this means paying for cab fare to drive the employee up to the door or purchase a specific chair for the employee to sit in.

In a case where an employee hurts themselves off the job, whether Skiing or shoveling a driveway, the company has a legal obligation to find you meaningful work at the plant site, as if you had been hurt at work. In this case, as in all cases, if you have restrictions, you must have an FAF and you must agree with what is written on your FAF.