How to draw up a reintegration plan for employees on long-term absence?

As an employer, you will be required to draw up a reintegration plan for an employee in the following three cases:

1. the employee is able to resume the agreed work duties after some time and can perform restricted work or other work duties in the interim. The reintegration plan must be drawn up within 55 business days.
2. after the time frame for appeal has lapsed if the employee is deemed permanently incapable of resuming the agreed duties.
3. after having received the decision made during the appeal procedure.

Due to circumstances, the employer may not be able to draw up the reintegration plan. If drawing up the plan cannot be done objectively, cannot be expected of the employer on reasonable grounds, or if it is impossible for the employer to do so for technical reasons, then no further action is required. However, you will need to list these reasons in a report that must be made available at the request of authorised officials.

As the employer, you must draw up the reintegration plan in consultation with the employee, the PA-OHP and others who may contribute to a successful outcome.

The reintegration plan must include one or several measures, as detailed and specific as possible:

• description of adjustments to be made to the workstation
• description of restricted work duties
  • volume of work
  • work schedule
  • measures for progressive reintegration
• description of other work duties
  • task description
  • volume of work
  • work schedule
  • measures for progressive reintegration
• training to acquire and enhance skills and competences
  period of validity of the reintegration plan

The PA-OHP submits the reintegration plan to the advisory physician. He or she will then decide whether a progressive return to work is possible, or confirm the employee’s incapacity to work. This decision is incorporated in the reintegration plan, and as the employer, you may need to make adjustments to the plan where needed.

As the employer, you must submit the reintegration plan to the employee concerned. The employee must then decide within 5 business days following receipt of the reintegration plan whether he or she accepts or rejects the plan. If the plan is accepted, then the employee must sign the plan for approval. It not, then he or she must write down the reasons for rejection in the reintegration plan, and in that case, the reintegration process ends then and there.

• Mensura can help you with practical advice and with a targeted approach for the reintegration of employees on long-term absence due to illness.