The Occupational Standards identified nine domain areas as core skills and competencies for effective Disability Management practice with sub-domains as listed below:
- Demonstrate Knowledge of Disability Management Theory and Practice
- Identify and define key components of effective disability management.
- State the rationale and objectives for disability management practice.
- Identify the economic and social benefits of disability management in the workplace.
- Describe the principles of effective disability management programmes.
- Describe the disability management service delivery process (model programs) for large and small work sites.
- Describe the roles and functions of professionals involved in disability management.
- Describe the scope of a disability manager’s caseload.
- Develop strategic planning approaches to disability management.
- Develop and utilise an informational network with other disability management professionals through professional associations and attendance at educational conferences and seminars.
- Apply Legislation and Benefit Programmes
- Utilise employment and disability legislation and regulations, including Duty to Accommodate, Employment Equity Act, Workers’ Compensation Act, and Human Rights Legislation in disability management planning.
- Explain eligibility and entitlement of benefit and compensation systems to workers and their families or refer individual to appropriate resource persons for benefit information.
- Demonstrate knowledge of public and private disability benefit schemes related to return-to-work.
- Interpret health and safety regulations.
- Communicate implication of medical review/plateau decisions.
- Apply policy and legislation in arriving at decisions.
- Labour/Management Relations
- Analyse workplace disability experience.
- Understand differences and similarities between union and non-union work sites with respect to disability management programme implementation.
- Demonstrate knowledge of inter-related workplace systems, i.e. union, employer, human resources, benefit carrier, health care systems, etc.
- Collaborate in the development of a joint labour/management disability management committee.
- Establish workplace-orientated disability management mission and goal statements.
- Collaborate with labour and management programmes in non-union workplaces.
- Demonstrate knowledge of employment standards legislation entitlements for non-union workers/managers.
- Describe impact of collective agreements or terms and conditions of employment.
- Apply knowledge of arbitration and grievance procedures.
- Negotiate with labour and management to develop policy, structure, and strategies to resolve conflicts and disputes related to disability management.
- Utilise Communication and Problem-Solving Skills
- Apply conflict resolution skills in interactions with various stakeholders.
- Negotiate/facilitate return-to-work agreements.
- Demonstrate logical thinking and problem-solving skills.
- Utilise leadership strategies to influence organisational change including workplace communication, team building, and conflict or dispute resolution.
- Communicate understanding of disability management interventions (e.g. job accommodation, ergonomics, early intervention) to labour/management committee.
- Intervene effectively in crises.
- Provide leadership to return-to-work team at the workplace.
- Demonstrate effective team meeting leadership skills.
- Promote active participation in the disability management programme.
- Establish rapport with workers and families.
- Communicate and relate to persons from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds.
- Demonstrate tact and empathy with others.
- Demonstrate sensitivity to family coping strategies.
- Assist worker in adjusting to the impact of injury or disability.
- Demonstrate ability to lead groups, to understand group dynamics.
- Prepare written reports.
- Make oral presentations.
- Educate stakeholders on importance of disability management principles.
- Present disability management process and accomplishments to the broader community.
- Promote the disability management program utilising varied presentation formats.
- Promote disability management programmes and best practices to worker and employer representatives as well as to external providers.
- Utilise adult learning strategies in developing an oral presentation.
- Disability Case Management
- Understand the roles and functions of multidisciplinary health care providers in diagnosing and treating injury or impairment.
- Utilise early timed intervention for return to work.
- Apply physical and functional (work) capacity evaluations.
- Evaluate worker adjustment to disability.
- Assess return-to-work needs of the worker.
- Assess workplace factors that impact disability management outcomes.
- Assess factors that contribute to motivation and readiness to participate in disability management programme.
- Identify incentives and disincentives to involvement in disability management planning.
- Develop goals and plans with the worker.
- Coordinate internal and external resources to implement disability management plans.
- Consider positive and negative characteristics of “outsourcing” case management services when developing disability management programmes.
- Establish collaborative relationships with multidisciplinary health care providers.
- Develop criteria to assess effectiveness and quality of provider services.
- Describe assistive technology options and typical costs.
- Identify and access funding programmes.
- Build and maintain local community resource network.
- Establish relationships with advocacy organizations.
- Utilise cost containment strategies.
- Manage time effectively.
- Plan and organise a schedule.
- Establish priorities within caseload.
- Return-to-Work Coordination
- Assess personal and work adjustment needs.
- Coordinate assessment of functional capacity of worker.
- Analyse job duties and requirements.
- Conduct detailed functional job analyses.
- Demonstrate working knowledge of functional ergonomics.
- Develop capacity within the workplace to provide early intervention with the worker with a disability, the worker representative, the supervisor, and health care providers.
- Facilitate rehabilitation interventions and return-to-work coordination with short-term and long-term disability insurance representatives.
- Develop methods to ensure accountability among supervisors and managers with respect to return-to-work practices.
- Identify systemic barriers to return to work or employment.
- Develop guidelines and procedures for transitional work programme.
- Facilitate job modification, accommodation, workplace redesign and assistive technology.
- Provide information to health care providers on transitional work or modified work opportunities to gain their “buy-in” to the process.
- Facilitate ongoing contact between the employee and other support systems.
- Develop return-to-work plan with the worker, worker representative, manager, and health care providers.
- Implement return-to-work plan.
- Monitor and adjust individual return-to-work plan.
Understand alternative dispute resolution (ADR) principles and how to utilise resources to resolve return-to-work issues. - Maintain case management records.
- Assess service providers, e.g. rehabilitation facilities, physiotherapy services, and EFAP.
- Develop disability management consultation skills.
- Health, Psycho-social, Prevention, and Functional Aspects of Disability
- Utilise medical, physical, and functional capacity evaluations in disability management planning.
- Demonstrate understanding of cultural issues to injury, disability, and work.
- Demonstrate understanding of prominent causes of disability including repetitive strain injuries and workplace stress.
- Relate medical and physical information or acute and chronic illness and disability to functional demands of job.
- Utilise information from medical examinations to coordinate treatment plan.
- Evaluate worker’s adjustment to disability.
- Assess personal and work adjustment needs.
- Promote worker health and wellness.
- Analyse home and work environments.
- Demonstrate a sound understanding of accident prevention processes and practices.
- Development of Program Management and Evaluation Activities
- Perform evaluations to measure disability management program outcomes.
- Track costs of disability management programs.
- Identify and implement realistic cost containment strategies.
- Conduct qualitative evaluations.
- Conduct quantitative evaluations.
- Evaluate worker/supervisor satisfaction with programme.
- Assess effectiveness of health care provider services and resources.
- Identify key elements of an effective data management/program management system.
- Demonstrate basic computer literacy.
- Implement confidentiality safeguards around disability management data storage.
- Incorporate accident and illness reporting system into disability management information system.
- Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Conduct
- Develop and implement a plan to maintain own wellness.
- Participate in ongoing professional development activities to upgrade competencies.
- Demonstrate ethical and professional conduct to workers, employers, health care providers and other stakeholders.
- Contribute to the development and ongoing quality improvement of the disability management process.
- Promote equitable access to services.
- Respect confidentiality of information under the guidelines of ethical code, laws, and regulations.
- Understand reasonable course of action when confronted with ethical dilemmas.