Workers’ Compensation Incentive Programs

  

 

 

By: Diana Burnette

 

 

The State of Oregon throws money at you when you, the employer, take injured workers back to temporary light duty, and/or make changes to accommodate them when they have permanent restrictions. These programs, Employer at Injury (EAIP) and Preferred Worker (PWP) have recently been changed by the State of Oregon to make them more lucrative and easier for you to access.

 

EAIP - Oregon pays you to take an injured worker back to temporary light work.  They will reimburse 50% of the modified duty wage for up to 66 days   They allow you to buy up to $2,500 of equipment to help the worker stay within their restrictions (eg. patient lift, lighter truck tarps, automatic hand tools, man lift),  and/or $2,500 to create a light duty work station (eg. laptop, shredder, scanner, video equipment).  None of these dollars go against your premium and actually help lower your time loss costs, therefore lowering your premium.

 

PWP - This program gives the employer incentives to retain or hire previously injured workers who are unable to return to their time of injury jobs, and have received some permanent partial disability in their workers’ compensation claim.  The wage subsidy to the employer is 6 months at 50%, and/or $25,000 of equipment to modify the job.  The employer is exempt from paying workers’ compensation premiums on the wages of the preferred worker for 3 years.  In addition, any new claims filed during the three years by the preferred worker do not go against the employer, but are paid by the state.  

 

You may use the preferred worker program with your injured workers or new hires possessing a preferred worker card.   Please go to www.cbs.state.or.us/wcd and follow the links to obtain additional information on PWP, and to obtain posters for your hiring area.   Posters will encourage applicants and new hires to show you their preferred worker card.

 

These incentive programs provide a win-win for the employer and the injured worker.  Please feel free to call us if we can help you access these programs.