How to draw up a reintegration plan for employees on long-term absence?
In certain situations, employers are required to draw up a reintegration plan for employees on long-term absence. Read the blog post to find out when and how.
As an employer, you will be required to draw up a reintegration plan for an employee in the following three cases:
the employee is able to resume the agreed work duties after some time and can perform restricted work or other work duties in the interim. The reintegration plan must be drawn up within 63 calendar days.
after the time frame for appeal has lapsed if the employee is deemed permanently incapable of resuming the agreed duties.
after having received the decision made during the appeal procedure.
Drawing up a reintegration plan isn't possible?
Due to circumstances, the employer may not be able to draw up the reintegration plan. If drawing up the plan cannot be done objectively, cannot be expected of the employer on reasonable grounds, or if it is impossible for the employer to do so for technical reasons, then no further action is required. However, you will need to list these reasons in a report that must be made available at the request of authorised officials.
Content reintegration plan
As the employer, you must draw up the reintegration plan in consultation with the employee, the occupational physician and others who may contribute to a successful outcome.
The reintegration plan must include one or several measures, as detailed and specific as possible:
description of adjustments to be made to the workstation
description of restricted work duties
volume of work
work schedule
measures for progressive reintegration
description of other work duties
task description
volume of work
work schedule
measures for progressive reintegration
training to acquire and enhance skills and competences
period of validity of the reintegration plan
Assessment by the advisory physician
The occupational physician submits the reintegration plan to the advisory physician. He or she will then decide whether a progressive return to work is possible, or confirm the employee’s incapacity to work. If necessary, you may need to adjust the plan accordingly.
Communicating with employees who are on long-term absence
As the employer, you must submit the reintegration plan to the employee concerned. The employee must then decide within 5 business days following receipt of the reintegration plan whether he or she accepts or rejects the plan. If the plan is accepted, then the employee must sign the plan for approval. It not, then he or she must write down the reasons for rejection in the reintegration plan, and in that case, the reintegration process ends then and there.