Synthesis of Stay-at-Work/Return-to-Work (SAW/RTW) Programs, Models, Efforts, and Definitions Final Report

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Release Date: December 01, 2020

Synthesis of Stay-at-Work/Return-to-Work (SAW/RTW) Programs, Models, Efforts, and Definitions Final Report

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Behavioral Interventions ,  Employment and Training

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About the Report

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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 describes programs that were operating in the U.S. in 2018.

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Key Takeaways

  • A little more than half of programs (39 out of 68, or 57 percent) incorporated more than one of the five service components. Nearly every intervention (64 out of 68) included either an employer-provided accommodation, financial incentive, or information component, but most of those (38 out of 64, or 59 percent) included only one of the three components.
  • A majority (60 percent) of SAW/RTW interventions that were identified include some form of an information-based component (i.e., technical assistance, case management, or case coordination).
  • The approach taken by most workers’ compensation agencies involves incentivizing employers to hire or retain a worker with a disability through a job accommodation or transitional/alternative work arrangement.
  • While SAW/RTW programs often engage with workers’ attending physicians to obtain approval for accommodation plans, the review identified relatively few interventions that prioritize ongoing and substantial engagement with health care providers.
  • Most efforts to develop best preparatory practices for implementation of SAW/RTW services approach the issue from the perspective of the employer.

Citation

Epstein, Z., Wood, M., Grosz, M., Prenovitz, S., Nichols, A. (2020). Abt Associates. Synthesis of Stay-at-Work/Return-to-Work (SAW/RTW) Programs, Models, Efforts, and Definitions. 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.