Temporary Alternate Duty:
A Quick Reference Guide
Definition
Temporary Alternate Duty —TAD— is intended to provide temporary transitional alternative
work duty to normal employment activities for employees who, as a result of injury, have
been released by their doctor to a lighter work capacity than their normal occupation
requires. This can mean either reassignment to different duties or shorter hours which may
include assignment to a different job or may require a creative selection of duties from
several jobs to fit the physician’s restrictions.
Temporary Alternate Duty: It’s the Law!
Key Word: “Temporary”
Benefits:
• There are economic advantages;
• A TAD program contributes to improved employee relations;
• A TAD program demonstrates willingness to comply with ADA regulations.
Studies show that:
• Members with a successful TAD program generally see employees return to work within six to eight weeks.
• After six months out of work, there is less than a 50% return to work;
• After one year out of work, less than a 25% return to work;
• After two years out of work, there is little or no chance of return to work.
If TAD is not provided, the employer should be made aware of hidden costs:
• Training another employee to do the injured employee’s regular duties;
• During training, there is a reduction in productivity; and
• Overtime may be necessary to compensate for the decrease in productivity.
On many levels Temporary Alternate Duty is a Win/Win Situation:
• Good will is gained as employers and employees both earn mutual respect and loyalty
throughout the cooperative process.
• The injured employee brings value to the workplace by sharing knowledge and
experience on the job;
• Employees and employers suffer less of an economic impact.
Continued other side . . .
46 D onovan St re e t
Concord, NH 0330 1 - 2 6 2 4
www.nhprimex.org
603-225-2841
800-698-2364
1
Implementation:
Be Creative and Versatile in the Process —Think Outside the Box!
1. Decide who will coordinate/manage the program; works best with one point of contact.
2. Draft a “TAD Policy & Procedures” for post-injury. Contact your Primex3 Claims Team for
added information or assistance.
3. Make certain your program complies with all personnel policies and Collective
Bargaining Agreements.
4. Collect/create updated job descriptions that detail the required essential functions of
each job and share with Primex3.
5. Be proactive: Review the job descriptions, compile a detailed analysis of the duties, and
develop TAD assignments within each department geared to employees with specific
restrictions.
6. Establish communication with area doctors or clinics to help facilitate TAD.
7. Make sure everyone knows you have a TAD program—staff meetings / payroll stuffers.
8. Once you have a successful TAD Policy, don’t drop the ball! Maintain ongoing
communication to monitor progress.
Employer Issues:
1. Compensation: Some employers pay full wages, while others pay at a reduced level.
Either arrangement is acceptable; however, consistency should be the standard.
2. Timeframe: The duration of TAD should be pre-determined (8-12 week average).
Earnings must be reported to Primex3.
3. Supervision: Adequate supervision should be in place throughout the course of TAD.
4. Too many employees on TAD at once? Such an issue rarely occurs.
Employee Issues:
1.
2.
3.
4.
It’s the Law! Reluctance to participate could result in Department of Labor termination.
May experience peer pressure among co-workers.
Fear of reinjury while on TAD: Proper supervision will all but eliminate this issue.
Present TAD as Win/Win for all concerned!
To Get Started on a Temporary Alternate Duty Program
Contact Your Primex3 Claims Team
46 D onovan St re e t
Concord, NH 0330 1 - 2 6 2 4
www.nhprimex.org
603-225-2841
800-698-2364
2