Worker's Compensation

The Worker's Compensation and Occupational Disease Act of Indiana provides protection for all University employees (including student employees) who are injured while carrying out assigned duties both on the premises of the University and while traveling on University business. It stipulates that the employer (or its insurance carrier) compensate the injured employee for lost work time and cover medical expenses incurred, as indicated by the Act.

Reporting procedure

Employees are required to inform their supervisor immediately if they are injured or become ill on the job because of a work-related situation, even if they do not wish to obtain immediate medical attention.

Supervisors should complete the First Report of Injury Form as soon as possible, as well as within 48 hours of being notified of any workplace illness or injury. Once completed, the form should be submitted via e-mail to klevans@purdue.edu. Keep a copy for department files.

If the employee requires medical treatment or needs to be off work due to the ilness or injury, the supervisor or department designee is required to report the First Report of Injury to Liberty Mutual at (800) 362-0000. This call should be made as soon as possible, even if all the required information is not yet available. The injury report may not be called in by the injured employee.

If the employee does not require medical treatment and does not miss work, it is not necessary to call the report in to Liberty Mutual. It is still necessary to send the report to REM. Keep a copy for department files.

For serious injuries, ask witnesses to the accident to complete a Witness Report Form. Fax the finished form to Staff Benefits at (765) 496-1657.

Liberty Mutual will submit the Worker's Compensation Report of Injury/Illness on behalf of the University. A copy of the official report will be sent to the Business Office representative from the affected department once it is received from the insurance carrier. These reports should be maintained in files separate from the employee's Human Resources/Personnel file.

Fatalities or serious injuries are to be reported by phone immediately to the Purdue Police Department by calling 911 from a campus phone. Immediate reporting to Liberty Mutual is also required.

Transportation 

If an employee requires medical attention, transportation to an approved medical provider should be arranged.

• If an employee can safely drive, they may use their own vehicle to go to an approved medical provider.
• The supervisor or another designated person may drive the injured/ill employee to an approved medical provider using his or her own vehicle or one owned by the University.
• If an individual drives his/her own vehicle, the driver assumes liability for any damage to the vehicle or to any other involved vehicles if an accident occurs.
• If the illness or injury is not serious, do not call the Purdue ambulance.
• If the situation is a medical emergency, call the Purdue ambulance for transportation.

For assistance in determining what type of transportation should be used, review this chart. 

Medical treatment

Regional campuses have designated facilities to use for work-related injuries - contact your Human Resources department for more information. Employees at the West Lafayette campus can choose between two major providers for initial medical treatment due to work-related injury/illness: Clarian Arnett or Unity.

• Clarian Arnett: Clarian Arnett Occupational Health Center, 3746 Rome Drive, Lafayette.
  (765) 448-8708. Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday. Extended hours are available through the Urgent Care clinics on Salisbury Street in West Lafayette or Greenbush Street in Lafayette. Both are open 8 a.m.-8 p.m. daily.
• Unity: Regional Occupational Health Center, 1321 Unity Place, Creasy Lane, Lafayette.
  (765) 446-2450. Hours: 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday-Friday. Extended hours are available through Unity Immediate Care, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. daily except Christmas.

Hospital emergency rooms should be utilized only for serious injuries, or for treatment when the occupational health and urgent care centers are closed. When the situation calls for using the emergency room, the following hospitals are acceptable providers for work-related injuries and illnesses in the West Lafayette campus area: Clarian Arnett Hospital, Home Hospital, and St. Elizabeth Medical Center.

NOTE: Medical treatment beyond the initial visit requires approval by the worker's compensation insurance carrier. Failure to do so may result in denial of medical expenses incurred.

Employees should not use their personal physician for a work-related injury. Treatment through any provider not approved by the worker's compensation insurance company may not be covered. In those situations, the employee will be responsible for any unpaid bills.

Worker's compensation is totally separate from the employee's personal medical care and insurance. Purdue University uses Liberty Mutual as their worker's compensation insurance carrier, and Liberty Mutual must authorize the medical care the employee receives.

After each visit to the treating medical facility, the employee must provide his/her supervisor with written documentation regarding work status. The treating medical provider will give written documentation of any restrictions that the employee may be assigned. The supervisor or department head will then determine if the department can provide work for the employee within those restrictions. If appropriate work is not available, the employee will remain off work until the restrictions or the availability of work changes. Restriction slips are usually kept in files maintained by the department's business office or human resources department.

NOTE: Time off work due to work-related injury/illness will count toward available leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), as well as worker's compensation leave provided by the University.

Payment of wages and medical expenses

During the employee's initial visit to the medical facility to be treated for a job-related injury (usually on the day of injury), the employee is considered to be in pay status. The employee should use the "WC" attendance code on their timecard for the time that they are being treated at the medical facility. If they are sent home by the approved medical facility after treatment, the employee may use sick leave or vacation time for those remaining hours. If the employee is able to return to work, but further physician's visits or treatments related to the injury are required during regular scheduled worktime, the employee's time for hours missed will be recorded as "WC." This guideline is applicable to regular, student, and temporary employees. Please contact Staff Benefits for verification of "WC" hours.

NOTE: The maximum "WC" allowance is as follows:

• 2 hours for local area visits/treatment
• 4 hours for visits/treatment requiring travel of 50 miles or more

Should the supervisor need to verify that treatment is prescribed due to a job-related injury, he/she may contact Staff Benefits for such verification.

Bills received by the department or employee for treatment of a work-related injury/ilness should be forwarded to Staff Benefits or to the Liberty Mutual claim rep that is handling the employee's claim.

If the injury/illness causes lost time of more than seven calendar days duration, Liberty Mutual will compensate the employee for lost wages as stipulated under the Worker's Compensation Act. In the event that lost time exceeds 21 calendar days, retroactive payment will be made for the first seven calendar days.

Claim status/work status

Questions regarding the status of a claim should be directed to Liberty Mutual or to Staff Benefits. It is the responsibility of the employing department to notify Staff Benefits when the employee goes off work, returns to work, or if there are other changes to the employee's attendance due to the work-related injury/illness.

Use of sick leave and vacation

If requested by the employee, any sick leave and/or vacation credits which he/she has accrued may be used to supplement worker's compensation benefits. Payments of sick leave and/or vacation in connection with compensation are subject to withholding tax, contribution to retirement funds, deductions for insurance programs, etc. (Worker's compensation payments are not taxable.) It is intended that any employee who has sick leave and/or vacation credits available for use shall have the opportunity to receive his/her regular income for as long as possible in the event of wages lost because of the job-related injury/illness. The supervisor or department head should immediately determine the sick leave and/or vacation credits available and should consult with the employee about the use of these credits for payment of lost wages.

Procedures

1. Worker's compensation for lost wages is not effective until the eighth calendar day. If available, sick leave will be paid for all normally-scheduled work periods during the first seven calendar days. If the employee does not have sick leave available, he/she has the option of using available vacation time or going unpaid.
2. If lost time exceeds seven calendar days, Liberty Mutual will pay worker's compensation to the employee based on the amount provided by the Act at that time. Accrued sick leave or vacation time may be used to pay the difference between the amount of compensation payment and the employee's normal earnings.
3. If compensation for lost time is paid in excess of 21 calendar days, retroactive compensation will be paid for the first seven calendar days. If sick leave/vacation accruals have been used for payment of the seven-day period, no adjustment of leave payment is necessary.
4. If not eligible for FMLA and if the employee does not wish to use available leave to supplement his/her income, or if none is available, he/she will need to apply for a leave of absence without pay. This application is accomplished by completion of Human Resources Form 33 or President's Office Form 33.
5. If eligible for FMLA, the employee must obtain an application for FMLA leave and have it completed by their treating physician.
6. Employees who are off work for more than one pay period should contact Staff Benefits at 494-1685 or 494-1686 to discuss how their group insurance coverage will be maintained. If the employee is not receiving a check from the University, there are no deductions being taken for medical insurance, etc.
7. An employee receiving compensation under the Act will continue to earn vacation and sick leave credits for a maximum of one year at his/her normal rate of earnings.
8. Questions concerning the coordination of sick leave and vacation credits with worker's compensation benefits should be directed to Staff Benefits.

Resources

Liberty Mutual: For questions regarding a claim, call (800) 752-5832.

Staff Benefits:

• Disability Benefits Coordinator: For questions regarding worker's compensation, short term disability, and long term disability, call (765) 494-1691.
• Return-to-Work Coordinator: For questions regarding worker's compensation and the return-to-work program, call (765) 494-0306.