Occupational Health Consultant

Job Summary

Reporting directly to the Supervisor, Disability Management, the successful candidate will ensure employees receive optimal care when absent from work and identify opportunities to facilitate early and safe return to work as per legislative requirements. In addition, the duties associated with this role also involve providing expertise with respect to ergonomic assessments, job demands analysis, job/health coaching strategies and wellness programs to promote optimum physical and mental health of employees.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Perform comprehensive assessment of medical documentation
• Identify, manage and coordinate documentation required for both internal and external disability benefits programs.
• Assess and coordinate need for additional testing, third party assessment and treatment.
• Work closely with the City's medical consultant to review medical and make claim decisions. Liaise with medical professionals, employees, insurer and supervisor to discuss, clarify and gather appropriate details to determine medical issues impacting absence.
• Liaise with HR to discuss, clarify and gather appropriate details to workplace issues impacting absence.
• Participate in interdisciplinary meetings for file review
• Coordinate early and safe return to work programs.
• Conduct ergonomic assessments.
• Organize wellness initiatives such as communication of monthly wellness topics, flu vaccination clinics, departmental employee health, wellness and safety fairs and health and wellness coaching.
• Maintain employee's health files within Employee Health Services documentation system
• Ensure compliance with Human Rights Code, absence policies and practices, LTD contract, Occupational Health and Safety Act, WSIB and various collective agreements. Comply with relevant City policies.
• Provide assistance on projects/initiatives within the unit/team as required

Skills and Qualifications

• University Degree in Nursing and current registration with the appropriate provincial regulated health professional body (e.g. College of Nurses of Ontario) preferred.
• University Degree in a related health professional discipline such as Occupational Therapy or Kinesiology and current registration with the appropriate provincial regulated health professional body ( e.g. College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario, College of Kinesiologists of Ontario) will be considered.
• Certificate in or working towards certification as an Ergonomist, Rehabilitation Professional, NIDMAR, Occupational Health Nurse and/or disability management is preferred.
• Minimum 5 years progressive experience preferred in the field of disability management, rehabilitation, case management and/or return to work including coordinating, implementing and monitoring modified work programs, and assisting in permanent placement of workers with a disability, including those with mental illness.
• Ability to design and/or evaluate appropriate standardized ergonomic tools for corporate wide use is preferred.
• Ability to perform physical and cognitive demands analysis, industrial and office ergonomic assessments, job matching review for accommodations, and provide ergonomic advice on design of new workspaces and equipment selection is preferred
• Insurance industry experience is an asset
• Strong medical assessment skills.
• Strong relationship management skills to foster positive relationships e.g. with employees who are recovering from illness or injury, supervisors, HR staff, unions, 3rd party providers.
• Sound professional judgement in accumulating and disseminating confidential information with the ability to effectively communicate.
• Excellent problem solving and critical thinking skills.
• Proficient computer skills and experience with Microsoft office fordata inputting, running queries and reports.
• Experience with medical documentation software ( ie Sodales, Parklane)
• May require some light lifting of supplies/materials.
• Primarily office environment (hybrid model) with some local travel to client groups' work location for health coaching, return to work planning, ergonomics assessments and/or health promotion initiatives.