(a) Any employee who suffers a compensable industrial injury or illness can, subject to this section, receive regular wages instead of Workers' Compensation lost-time benefits. Payment for related medical benefits is the responsibility of the employer's Managed Care Organization (MCO).
(b) Qualifications.
(1) The injury or illness must be determined to be compensable by the company, or in the case of dispute, the Ohio Industrial Commission. In no event will compensation commence before all initial paperwork is completed and filed with the appropriate agency(ies).
(2) Competent medical proof of disability must be provided via Form C-84 or Physician's Update and Physical Capabilities form. The attending physician must complete the form in its entirety and affix his or her original signature to the form. Copies are unacceptable.
(3) The employee must complete a FROI-1 First Report Injury application and sign a wage agreement, medical release and an election form.
(4) The company reserves the right to have the employee examined by a physician of its choice at the company's cost to confirm the medical diagnosis and/or the period of disability. Failure to submit to examination will result in termination of wage continuation benefits.
(5) Wage continuation benefits will be paid only for those periods of lost time that otherwise would qualify the employee for receipt of workers' compensation lost time benefits, subject to the following limitations.
(b) Termination Conditions. Wage continuation payments will cease upon any of the following conditions:
(1) Attending physician releases employee to return to work.
(2) Employee returns to work for another employer.
(3) Employee fails to return to a transitional “limited duty” assignment consistent with his or her medical restrictions as approved by the injured workers' treating physician.
(4) Employee fails to appear for employer-sponsored medical examination.
(5) Employee has reached maximum medical recovery and/or the condition has become permanent.
(6) The claim is found to be fraudulent after payment has been commenced.
(7) The injured worker attempts to collect both wage continuation and temporary total compensation.
(8) Employment termination.
(9) Violation of any company policy or guideline.
(10) Regardless of the above conditions of termination, management may, at its sole discretion, terminate wage continuation benefits at any time if disability exceeds ninety days.
(11) The wage continuation plan and all benefits can be terminated at management's discretion at any time.
(Ord. 176-02. Passed 11-7-02.)