Services | Return to Work & Rehab Consulting Services - Independence Incorporated

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Finding Perfect Fits Through Our Job Search Assistance Program

Posted December 16, 2014 by Victor Andres

Finding a job can be tough. And it’s even tougher when you haven’t been a member of the work force for some time. Naturally, when a person becomes ill or injured, it’s important for him or her to think with a “health first” attitude. So, when a person recovers, he or she may not have been thinking about working for quite a while. In many cases, people recovering from health issues have the opportunity to return to their original jobs.

And, in many other cases, recovered individuals need to seek new employment. As you can imagine, many of them have a “where do I go from here?” state of mind. And that can be expected. It makes sense that they would need some assistance with finding a new job. This is where Independence Incorporated’s “Job Search Assistance Program” comes in. It is designed to comfortably reacquaint job-seekers with the world of work.

Essentially, the program begins for our clients once realistic and reasonable occupational choices have been decided upon. It is tailored to the specific and unique needs of each individual client. This way, we know that we will be helping to put the right people in the right job positions. It’s hard enough to return to work after a long layoff as it is. The last thing anyone would want would be to begin a job that he or she is uncomfortable with.

There are a number of components to the “Job Search Assistance Program”. As you may have guessed, it begins with finding the answers to some of the more obvious questions that one would ask when it comes to beginning a job search. What lines of work are you interested in? What type of work experience do you have? What are your strongest attributes and talents? We then move on to performing some or all of the following components of the program.

Regular client meetings. By meeting with our clients on a regular basis, we are able to establish the various responsibilities and obligations we have during the job search process. The meetings include discussions about setting goals and establishing an activity log. Naturally, some of the above listed questions get answered more clearly during this step of the process. It’s all about finding our clients the right fit.

Resume preparation. As you can imagine, a major component to landing a new job position is preparing an adequate résumé. Last month, in our “6 Steps To Creating The Perfect Résumé” blog, we offered a number of great tips to help job-seekers to get it right. This component of the “Job Search Assistance Program” also includes interview coaching and network development. Our most recently posted blog, “6 Steps To Having Strong Job Interviews” is also an important read.

Daily review of classified employment ads. There’s nothing like looking for a job when you’re…looking for a job! It’s important to put in a concerted effort to locate as many employment opportunities as possible before deciding upon the ones you wish to interview for. We review newspapers and the internet for job postings but also work with a network of employment centres to help our clients find well-suited job opportunities.

At Independence Incorporated, we’re very mindful of the stress and pressure that people endure when they are out looking for work. Our efforts make it easier for clients to locate jobs that they are best suited for. A less stressful approach to job finding makes the entire process a lot more worthwhile. For more information about our Job Search Assistance Program please feel free to call us at 204-478-6644.

Assessing Our Home Assessments Through Q&A

Posted November 25, 2014 by Victor Andres

Disabled rehabilitation A significant injury or illness is never a welcome circumstance. However, for thousands of Canadians, such an occurrence is an inevitability that requires significant rehabilitation. Naturally, time must be taken from work to battle such hardships, as a person’s health always comes first. This is why before a person returns to work, he or she must take the very important steps to ensure that the return to work is done at the appropriate time.

At Independence Incorporated, we offer Home Assessments as one of our many services. It’s important that individuals are able to perform all of the necessary functions that are required for living in their homes before they are able to get back on the job. As part of our assessments, we address issues such as accessibility and stressors – both actual and perceived. We also look to determine the number of responsibilities that may affect a person’s ability to handle everyday tasks.

Once an appropriate home assessment has been completed, we are better able to gauge whether or not a person who has sustained an injury or illness that has kept him or her from work is able to return to the job. As you can imagine, there are a number of questions that need to be both asked and answered in order to make the right decision. At Independence Incorporated, we seek to complete thorough examinations by performing a Q&A session.

Has there been a significant change in the working conditions? Depending on the amount of time that a person has taken off of work, there may have been some changes to the job itself. It’s important for us to determine if those changes are ones that can be handled by the returning employee. We seek to discover if there are any limitations that the employee may have before green-lighting the way back to the workplace.

Can the job at work be modified? In some cases – even when the working conditions may have remained the same – the returning worker may have some of those limitations we mentioned. If so, we seek to discover if any modifications can be made at the workplace to make the transition back to work more comfortable for the employee. It’s also important to know if further physiotherapy or other forms of rehabilitation are necessary.

Has there has been a change in the employee’s health? There are times when an injury can significantly change a person’s health. After all, rehabilitation can certainly take a toll on a person. So while an injury may be healed, the employee may still require other methods of recovery in order to achieve greater strength, energy and endurance levels. Before one can return to work, he or she clearly needs to be healthy enough to do so.

Is there a new medical condition that may limit a returning worker’s effectiveness? If an employee’s health has changed, the job description for that employee may need to change as well. In some cases, a person can return to work, but not necessarily to do the same tasks that were asked of him or her before the injury or illness took place. If a limitation reduces or prevents a person from performing a job effectively, a new position may be a better fit.

Can the employee safely return to work? There are, of course, those situations when an employee is simply not healthy enough to return to a job in any capacity. Further rehabilitation is necessary in order to get a person to a state of readiness. And this is very important. Returning an employee to the workplace before he or she is capable of doing the work is bad for both the business and the employee. A home assessment helps greatly to make the right decision.

Of course, there are a variety of other questions that we answer to make sure an employee is ready to return to the job. For more information about our Home Assessments, please feel free to call us at 204-478-6644.

Looking At Our Three-Point “Vocational Rehab Assessments”

Posted October 28, 2014 by Victor Andres

Happy businessman and businesswoman posing back to back When an employee is set to return to work after a long layoff, it’s a process that is far different than when a brand new employee enters a workplace for the first time. Of course, there is generally on-the-job training required for both situations. But when an individual who has suffered an injury or illness has been away from the workplace for a significant period of time, he or she must endure a sensitive process before the return.

Naturally, sensitivity is required to handle delicate situations. And depending on one’s reason for the layoff, particular steps may need to be taken to ensure that the transition from the hospital to the home and then to the job is as smooth and comfortable as possible. At Independence Incorporated, we offer “Vocational Rehab Assessments” that enable us to meet with clients to assess their abilities to return to work safely.

The process is often done over three “points”. The three point assessments seek to discover the various issues that may still be persisting through in-person visits. We feel that this is an important process for both the client and his or her employer. And there is a reason why we are so thorough. By conducting all three points, we ensure that our assessments are both complete and accurate. Let’s take you through each point.

One Point Assessment. This is also known as the “Client Interview”. During the one point assessment, an injured or ill client is interviewed in our office. However, we are also happy to accommodate our clients by visiting them in their homes if it is preferred. During this interview, we discover the various needs and requirements of the clients in order to establish his or her vocational rehabilitation potential.

Two Point Assessment. In this case, we would conduct the client interview, but also follow it with an in-person consultation. This is done with the client’s signed consent. It can also be done through written correspondence with the primary caregivers involved. During this process, we clarify the appropriate support and rehabilitation interventions that are needed in order to maximize the quality of life of our client and his or her vocational rehabilitation potential.

Three Point Assessment. In addition to the client interview and in-person consultation, we pay a visit to the client’s worksite in order to meet with the employer. It’s very beneficial for both the returning worker and his or her employer to be on the same page about the various tasks that are listed as the employee’s responsibilities. Can they be carried out with relative ease or is additional support required?

We seek to answer such a question by focusing on a few key points. Firstly, we wish to clarify any issues that may be related to the client’s performance history. Secondly, we seek to verify if the employee’s work needs to be modified. Thirdly, we assess whether or not there are any worksite conflicts that may exist that could hinder the employee’s return to work. And finally, we look to create a joint team effort approach between management and union.

It is important to note that any information that is related to medical diagnoses and conditions of our clients is not shared with their employers. Employers, however, are entitled to know about the potential of functional limitations that may have resulted from an employee’s illness or injury. If there are restrictions that affect the employee’s ability to meet the demands of the job, an employer must be informed.

For more information about our “Vocational Rehab Assessments”, please feel free to call us at 204-478-6644.