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Risk Management and Safety

Workers' Compensation - Procedures Handbook

Table of contents

Medical Care
Injury Reporting
Return To Work
Other Supervisors' Responsibilities
Change of Doctor
Lost Work-Time Compensation
Vacation/Holiday/Doctor Appointments
Eligibility of Work-Related Blood-Borne Exposures

BYU provides an approved Workers' Compensation program providing medical, lost work time, partial and permanent disability and burial expense benefits resulting from work-related injuries and illnesses. The University provides this coverage to ALL UNIVERSITY PERSONNEL without cost, in compliance with the law.

Medical Care

Personnel should NOT go to their personal physician. Those who disregard this instruction may lose compensation benefits for that care Determine the extent of medical attention needed, then:

  1. If minor, obtain supplies from the department first aid kit and record accident information on the first aid kit log.
  2. If more than first aid is needed, the employee should go to WorkMed or an Urgent Care. An appointment is not needed. There are two WorkMeds that are close to campus and two Urgent Care facilities. Employees should only go to the Emergency Room if the Urgent Care clinics are closed. If the employee needs to be treated for a blood borne pathogen, needle stick or contact with a bat, they must seek medical attention at the ER.  There are some Urgent Care facilities that will not accept a worker’s compensation injury. Please visit the Work Accident Care page for a list of facilities in the Provo area.
  3. For serious injuries that require hospital care, go directly to the emergency room at the Utah Valley Hospital or the nearest emergency room.
  4. If employed at the Spanish Fork Farm, report to Spanish Fork Clinic for minor injuries and Mountain View Hospital emergency room for serious injuries.
  5. For all injuries sustained away from campus, report to the nearest urgent care or emergency facility.
  6. Transportation:
    • If the employee requires a trip to an Urgent Care facility, a supervisor or co-worker should accompany the employee if needed. It is appropriate to use a BYU vehicle to take the injured employee to the facility.
    • Transportation for most serious injuries should be handled by the professional responders to the scene.

Injury Reporting

  1. Report to Supervisor: Employees should report any on-the- job injury or illness to their full-time supervisor as soon as the incident occurs. The supervisor must investigate the cause of the accident, then prepare and submit a Supervisor's Report of Workers’ Compensation Injury form to Risk Management and Safety within 24 hours (See exception below).
  2. For any fatality, life-threatening, or serious injury (hospitalization, amputation-partial or full, third-degree burns, severe laceration, electric shock, fractures, etc.) contact the BYU University Police Dispatch at 801-422-0911. Supervisors also must immediately contact Risk Management and Safety at 801-422-4468.  
  3. The Dean of Student Life should receive immediate notification of serious injury to a student employee.

Return To Work

  1. All personnel who have received lost work time compensation will provide their supervisor with a return-to-work note from the treating doctor upon their return to work. It may become advisable not to return an employee to former job duties following a work-related injury or illness. When this occurs, management will review each situation to make a determination regarding continued employment. Note: The University will take no action adverse to employment because an employee has filed a legitimate claim for Workers' Compensation benefits.
  2. Employee's should:
    1. Inform their supervisor if the treating doctor has recommended they lose time from work.
    2. Follow the medical recommendations of the treating doctor regarding lost work time, exercise, medication, medical care, etc.
    3. If unable to perform work duties for an extended period of time, report to the full-time supervisor on a frequent basis regarding health status and availability for work.
    4. Provide their supervisor with a return-to-work note from the treating doctor upon their return to work.
    5. Report the use of prescription drugs which may impair their ability to perform their job duties.

Other Supervisors' Responsibilities

  1. If the injury was deemed reportable under the OHSA guidelines, secure the scene and work with Risk Management and Safety on the investigation. The scene may not be disturbed (used) until either cleared by the OSHA officer or Risk Management and Safety.
  2. Instruct personnel under their direction of the proper procedures for reporting on- the-job accidents and obtaining medical treatment.
  3. Inform personnel of their responsibilities under the Workers' Compensation program.
  4. Maintain the first aid kit supplies and log used for minor injuries.
  5. Take corrective action to prevent reoccurrence.
  6. Record lost work-time
  7. Coordinate the individual's return to light duty work, as approved by the treating doctor.

Change of Doctor

For treatment beyond the initial care, indiscriminate changing of doctors treating for on-the-job injuries/illnesses is NOT permitted according to the Utah Labor Commission. However, if a change in doctor is desired, personnel should contact Sedgwick for coverage requirements on this matter and fill out the correct Utah Labor Commission forms.

Lost Work-Time Compensation

  1. Absence from work due to a work-related injury or illness is compensable only when supported by the treating doctor's report and the approval of the claim by Sedgwick. The doctor must submit a work release to Sedgwick. Sedgwick follows the policies as set forth by the Utah Labor Commission.
  2. The employee's department will pay the wage/salary for time lost during the day of the injury only. If the employee has been taken off work for more than the day of the incident, the claim has been approved and the work release has been received, the employee must wait three days before receiving a wage replacement. Full time employees may use their sick or vacation hours for these initial three days. A wage replacement comes into effect on the fourth day an employee has been released from work. If the employee is off work for longer than 14 days, they will receive compensation for the three initial days.
  3. Lost work-time compensation is paid on a 2/3 gross income and is not taxed up to a weekly state maximum. Qualifying full-time personnel where 2/3 of their pay would exceed the maximum will receive 2/3 compensation regardless of the amount through the BYU payroll and is taxable.
  4. Lost-time payments are discontinued when the employee is returned to work, either on light duty (employer accommodated) or full duty. In some cases, lost-time payments may also be discontinued in the case of the employee terminating employment.  If an employee applies for and is accepted on the DMBA disability plan, benefits may be reduced.

Vacation/Holiday/Doctor Appointments

  1. Sick Leave: Full-time personnel accrue sick leave and vacation days while they receive lost work-time compensation (unless accepted on the DMBA disability program).
  2. Holiday Pay: Personnel do not receive holiday pay when they have been taken off work by the treating doctor. The Workers Compensation allowance is the same on holidays as it is a regular work day.
  3. Medical Appointments: The department must pay an employee regular wages if the employee has a medical appointment during their normal shift hours. The medical appointment must be directly related to their approved and open claim. Sedwick must know about the medical appointment and the supervisor may require a doctor's written verification for the appointment. Employees must go directly to the appointment and return back to work without any deviation.

Eligibility of Work-Related Blood-Borne Exposures

Contact Risk Management and Safety for additional information about blood-borne exposures.

  1. Within three days (or 72 hours) of the exposure, report to the ER for a blood serum sample to be drawn.
  2. Within 10-14 day of the HIV test, report in person to the ER to privately obtain the test results unless the ER contacts you.
  3. Within three months of the exposure, report to the ER for a follow-up blood test.
  4. If the individual contracts the HIV infection (as indicated by the follow-up test), the individual must inform Risk Management and Safety of this condition within six months from the first date of diagnosis or treatment.
  5. Supervisors should the individual in obtaining appropriate medical care, if applicable, at the Utah Valley Hospital emergency room. Transport the exposed individual and/or suspected source preferably in a department vehicle to the ER to be tested for HIV and Hepatitis B. The department is responsible to pay the individual for the work time taken for the diagnostic testing.

NOTE: In order to maintain the confidentiality of the test results, transportation will NOT be provided by the University for follow-up visits.