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Contact Us What is Work Rehabilitation?
The Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) is a diverse Washington state agency dedicated to the safety, health, and security of Washington’s workers.
As administrators of the state’s workers’ compensation system, they are similar to a large insurance company, providing medical and limited wage-replacement coverage to workers who suffer job-related injuries and illness. Their rules and enforcement programs also help ensure workers are paid what they are owed, that children’s and teens’ work hours are limited, and that consumers are protected from unsound building practices.
L&I created a new physical medicines rehabilitation program for WA state injured workers that took effect February 2nd, 2024. This new program is Work Rehabilitation1. Work Rehabilitation has requirements for the clinical physical site, documentation and reporting, quality assurance and provider education requirements. These requirements help to identify that the provision of Work Rehabilitation is a significant difference in the skills and abilities from traditional outpatient therapy services.
Work Rehabilitation (WR) is an individualized special program to assist workers in meeting the demands of a specific job using progressive exercise, work simulation tasks and education. This program has two levels of intensity.
• Work Rehabilitation – Conditioning (WR-C) is the less intensive type of a WR program. It is intended for workers with Sedentary to Medium physical job demands with a program from 2-4 hours in duration.
• Work Rehabilitation – Hardening (WR-H) is a more intensive type of a WR program. It is intended for workers with Medium to Very Heavy physical job demands with a program from 2-8 hours in duration.
During the initial evaluation, the level of program intensity will be established to meet the job goal.
General Criteria for Admission *
• The individual has had at least 2 months of recovery since their injury.
• The individual’s accepted condition is a musculoskeletal or other allowed condition impacting their ability to return to work at their full duties.
• There is a referral from their attending provider for this program.
• The individual is able to participate for a minimum of 2 hours a day, 3 to 5 days a week.
• There is an identified return-to-work goal with a job description/analysis.
• Services are provided by an L&I approved WR provider.
Sources:
- Industries, Washington State Department of Labor &. “Work Rehabilitation.” Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, www.lni.wa.gov/patient-care/treating-patients/helping-workers-get-back-to-work/work-rehabilitation-2024. Accessed 28 June 2024.