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Snapshot: 2020 Return to Work report

Workers’ Compensation Research and Evaluation Group

One goal of the Texas workers’ compensation system is to return injured employees back to work quickly and safely. This report analyzes return-to-work (RTW) outcomes for the Texas workers’ compensation system between 2007 and 2017, including the percentage of injured employees who initially return to work after their injury; the percentage who remain at work; and the average days away from work.

Read the full report.

Published: March 2020 by the Workers' Compensation Research & Evaluation Group.

The initial RTW rate has steadily increased for injured employees in Texas between injury years 2007 – 2017, from 78 percent of injured employees returning to work within six months post-injury in 2007 to almost 83 percent returning to work in 2017.
Figure 1.1: Initial RTW Rate, Within Six Months Post-Injury, Injury Years 2007-2017. About 95 percent of injured employees return to work within three years of their injury.
In 2016, almost 65 percent of injured employees who went back to work within six months post-injury remained at work for at least three consecutive quarters, compared to about 60 percent in 2007. The sustained RTW rate has increased over time for all claim maturity levels.
Figure 2.1: Sustained RTW Rate, Within Six Months Post-Injury, Injury Years 2007-2016. From injury years 2007 to 2016, the Sustained RTW rate six months post-injury increased from 60% in 2007 to 65% in 2016.
Overall, the median days away from work is slightly lower in 2017 (24 days) than it was in 2007 (27 days), which means less lost income for injured employees and fewer disruptions to employer productivity. The mean days away from work shows a stable overall trend at roughly 42 days.
Figure 3.1: Days Away from Work, Injury Years 2007-2017. The average number of days away from work decreased slightly during 2007 to 2017, from 44 days in 2007 to 43 days in 2017. During that same time, the mean number of days away from work decreased from 27 to 24.
Employer size appears to have a proportional relationship with initial RTW rates. Large employers have the highest initial RTW rates within six months post-injury, averaging at roughly 82 percent. Larger employers tend to have more robust RTW programs than smaller employers.
Table 1.2: Initial RTW Rate, by Employer Size, Within Six Months Post-Injury, Injury Years 2007-2017. Larger employers tend to have higher Initial RTW rates in the first six months after injury. In 2017, employers with 1 to 4 employees had an Initial RTW rate of 80%, while employers with 500 or more employers had an Initial RTW rate of 85%.
Public administration has the consistently highest initial RTW rates within six months post-injury at an average of roughly 87 percent. Employees in the mining/utilities/construction and agriculture sector have, on average, the lowest initial RTW rate at roughly 75 percent. Almost all sectors, except arts and accommodation, saw improvements in initial RTW rates over the last decade.
Table 1.3: Initial RTW Rate, By Employer Industry, Within Six Months Post-Injury, Injury Years 2007-2017. In 2017 the RTW rate for Agriculture was 80%, Arts/Accommodation 81%, Education/Health 85%, Manufacturing 83%, Mining/Utilities/Construction 79%, Other Services 84%, Professional Group 80%, Public Administration 88%, Wholesale/Retail/Transportation 84%.

This analysis focuses on the RTW outcomes of injured employees who received temporary income benefits (TIBs) for their lost time. RTW rates are calculated using quarterly employee wage information from the Texas Workforce Commission.

It is important to note that several factors outside of the Texas workers’ compensation system affect RTW rates for injured employees, including the state’s economy, unemployment rates, industry changes, and changing employee demographics, among others. However, RTW rates are an important barometer of the overall effectiveness of a state’s workers’ compensation system.

83% back at work within six months of their injury. 95% back at work within 3 months of their injury. Median days away from work in 2017: 24. Lowest RTW Rates at 6 months: Mining/Utilities/Construction and Agriculture - 75%. Highest RTW Rates at 6 months: public administration - 87%.

For more information, contact: WCResearch@tdi.texas.gov

Last updated: 9/30/2021