Return to work, accommodation and support
IWH has a long history of conducting research on practices, policies and processes that help workers sustainably return to work after an illness or an injury. This page pulls together IWH research and resources on employer supports, job accommodations and modifications, as well as other related issues such as disclosure of disability.
Featured
![A seated woman with a clipboard in-hand speaks to a female client](/sites/iwh/files/styles/bootstrap_6_col_wide/public/iwh/images/iStock-1681105205.jpg?h=62bc044e&itok=_-RX-pME)
Research Highlights
How do employment support programs impact the health of young adults with episodic disabilities?
Episodic disabilities can make it challenging for workers to find and sustain employment while managing their symptoms and work demands. An IWH study investigated the health impacts of employment support programs for young adults with episodic disabilities.
Published: April 8, 2024
![A man speaks with a female doctor in scrubs who holds a clipboard](/sites/iwh/files/styles/bootstrap_6_col_wide/public/iwh/images/cannabis_doctor_consult.jpg?h=3688f8d5&itok=3u5P8tEA)
Research Highlights
Workers are using cannabis to treat work-related conditions, mostly without medical guidance
While cannabis is often used recreationally, there is growing interest in its use for therapeutic purposes, such as for pain, anxiety, depression and sleep problems. Some workers are using cannabis many months following the onset of a work-related condition, mostly without medical guidance.
Published: October 5, 2023
![A blurry image of people at work](/sites/iwh/files/styles/bootstrap_4_col_widescreen/public/iwh/images/invisible_blurry_people.jpg?h=aa28cc4d&itok=nlTjpRrA)
Research Highlights
Employer perspectives on communication challenges when supporting episodic disabilities
Supporting people with episodic health conditions can be challenging from organizational perspectives. The challenges stem from the need to provide accommodation and support while respecting workers’ right to privacy, and to respond to unpredictable periods of disability while ensuring work units meet productivity demands.
Published: September 2020
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IWH in the media
Greater focus on episodic disabilities needed: Study
Disability management must adapt and create a new model to reflect the impact of episodic disabilities among employees, writes John Dujay on a study led by Dr. Monique Gignac, scientific co-director and senior scientist at the Institute for Work & Health.
Published: Canadian HR Reporter, August 2020
![A blurry image of people at work](/sites/iwh/files/styles/bootstrap_4_col_widescreen/public/iwh/images/invisible_blurry_people.jpg?h=aa28cc4d&itok=nlTjpRrA)
At Work article
Workplaces face many complex challenges when managing episodic disabilities: study
Employers are recognizing that they need a new model of disability management to support workers with episodic health conditions, according to a new IWH study. These conditions can raise a host of issues for workplaces, including issues of trust, stigma and privacy.
Published: August 2020
![A vista of a small town in British Columbia](/sites/iwh/files/styles/bootstrap_4_col_widescreen/public/iwh/images/rural_countryside_hills.jpg?h=119335f7&itok=Ko8v8Om8)
Research Highlights
Urban-rural differences in work disability duration
People who live in more remote areas have more disability days following a work-related injury than people who live in large cities. However, there are exceptions to that pattern. Disability days are highest in the most remote rural areas. But they're second highest in the least remote rural areas, where at least 30 per cent of workers commute to an urban centre.
Published: July 2020
![Close-up of two pairs of hands, belong to a counsellor and a patient sitting on a couch](/sites/iwh/files/styles/bootstrap_4_col_widescreen/public/iwh/images/counselling_hands_therapy.jpg?h=62bc044e&itok=vmw47kxA)
Research Highlights
Access to mental health treatment among workers with physical injuries
Among workers with a compensation claim for a work-related musculoskeletal injury, 30 per cent also experience a serious mental condition. However, a minority of these workers receive treatment for their mental health conditions, according to an IWH study conducted in Australia.
Published: March 2020
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Research Highlights
Examining communication and collaboration barriers among health and case management professionals
Communication barriers between health-care providers and case managers appear to stem from differences in communication styles, professional priorities and philosophical perspectives about the timing and appropriateness of return to work. Barriers exist even among practitioners of different health disciplines.
Published: March 2020
![blurry silhouettes of two colleagues talking](/sites/iwh/files/styles/bootstrap_4_col_widescreen/public/iwh/images/window_silhouettes_talking.jpg?h=a858b86c&itok=SJNZ5SqU)
At Work article
Poorer post-injury experiences lead to worse RTW outcomes for psychological claimants
Injured workers on leave due to psychological injuries report poorer experiences and interactions throughout the return-to-work process. According to an IWH study, these experiences are interconnected, leading to longer time off from work.
Published: February 2020
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IWH in the media
What’s causing the bottleneck in disability management?
When it comes to disability management and return to work, communication is crucial. But often there are bottlenecks, and a new study by the Institute for Work & Health cites case managers and frontline supervisors as big factors, finds Sarah Dobson
Published: Canadian HR Reporter, February 2020
IWH Speaker Series
IWH Speaker Series
Introducing the new CSA standard for work disability management systems
Every year, tens of thousands of Canadians become disabled and are unable to work, thereby becoming excluded from the many health advantages of workforce participation. In response to the growing concerns about managing disability in the workplace, the CSA Group, in conjunction with the Centre for Research on Work Disability Policy (CRWDP) and Conestoga College, has developed a new standard called the Work Disability Management Systems Standard (CSA Z1011). In this presentation, CRWDP director and IWH Senior Scientist Dr. Emile Tompa highlights components of the standard, which sets out best practices on injury/illness rehabilitation, return-to-work plans, and accommodation of workers with disabilities.
Published: February 2020
Journal article
Journal article
Male/female differences in the impact of caring for elderly relatives on labor market attachment and hours of work: 1997-2015
Published: The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, February 2020