BURNABY – Members of the BCGEU, CUPE and PEA who belong to the Health Sciences Professionals Bargaining Association (HSPBA) each have a negotiated employee program for Enhanced Disability Management (EDMP) that is being rolled out this month.
HSA conducted the initial roll-out on November 1, 2013. Following the addition of FTEs during bargaining, the remaining constituent unions are now working with the HSPBA EDMP coordinator to roll out the program to their members.
The EDMP is a holistic disability management program that works collaboratively with the employee, employer and union to ensure that employees return to work in a safe and timely manner. It is a required program for all regular employees who are part of the HSPBA bargaining association and have either taken time off with a work-related illness/injury (WCB) after one day or are off due to a non-work related illness or injury for five days or more.
The goals of the EDMP are to:
- Support employees who are struggling at work, possibly preventing them from being off work;
- Facilitate early intervention and effective rehabilitation to ensure that employees either remain on the job or have access to early-return-to-work programs;
- Promote safe, accessible, and healthy workplaces;
- Encourage health promotion and employee wellness;
- Ensure a process that applies to potentially all incidents of inability to work as a result of illnesses, injury, disability and impairment; and
- Reduce the costs of sick, LTD and WorkSafeBC leave
The EDMP is intended to assist regular full-time or regular part-time employees in accessing services which can help to address medical, workplace or personal issues that represent barriers to an employee’s ability to return to work on a regular basis. It is designed as a plan the employee can use from the time they step out of the workplace through the treatment, possibly LTD, GRTW and accommodation, if required. Referrals can come from a variety of sources, including central call-in systems, employees, unions, managers, WCB, or LTD carriers.
For more information on the Health Sciences Professionals Bargaining Association CUPE, BCGEU and PEA EDMP program, please contact: Benita Spindel, your CUPE HSPBA EDMP representative at: health.sciences@hsp-edmp.caor via telephone at (778) 968-4411.