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Stay-at-Work/Return-to-Work (SAW/RTW) programs intend to help a worker who experiences an illness or injury to remain at work, or if the worker has left the labor force, to return as soon as medically possible. The report analyzes public data to estimate the characteristics of the SAW/RTW target population and examine pathways from illness/injury to federal disability benefits as a way to identify opportunities for intervention.

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Key Takeaways

• Using the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) to examine the outcomes of people who experience the onset of a work-limiting health condition, researchers found that at 17 to 20 months after onset: nearly half are back at work; about one in five is receiving federal disability benefits, either Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Payments; and about 3 in 10 are neither working nor receiving federal disability benefits.
• Health care use is the most common touchpoint for people within the 16 months after they stop working. About 80 percent of the respondents analyzed use some type of health care services. Other touch points include unemployment insurance, workers’ compensation, and job training.

Citation

Nichols, A., Dastrup, E., Epstein, Z., Wood, M. (2020). Abt Associates. Data Analysis for Stay-at-Work/Return-to-Work (SAW/RTW) Models and Strategies Project: Early Intervention Pathway Map and Population Profiles. Chief Evaluation Office, U.S. Department of Labor.

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The Department of Labor’s (DOL) Chief Evaluation Office (CEO) sponsors independent evaluations and research, primarily conducted by external, third-party contractors in accordance with the Department of Labor Evaluation Policy and CEO’s research development process.