Employee Health & Wellness Advisor

Position Summary
Interior Health is looking for an experienced Employee Health & Wellness Advisor to join our team on a full-time permanent basis.

What we offer:

-Employee & Family Assistance Program
-Employer paid training/education opportunities
-Employer paid vacation
-Employer paid insurance premiums
-Extended health & dental coverage
-Municipal Pension Plan
-Work-life balance

Salary Range:

The salary range for this position is $76,111 (min) to $95,138 (midpoint) to $109,409 (max) per annum, based on 1.0 FTE. Interior Health typically establishes salaries within the minimum and midpoint of the salary range based on qualifications, experience of the applicant, and an internal equity review of the salaries of other employees.

About the job:
In accordance with the established vision and values of the organization, the Employee Health & Wellness Advisor supports employees requiring Employee Health & Wellness services through the development and management of comprehensive Stay at Work/Return to Work (SAW/RTW) programs after onset of illness/injury to mitigate the associated disability burden. The Employee Health & Wellness Advisor develops, implements, monitors, and updates comprehensive case management plans that include early intervention; provision of rehabilitation services; and treatment referrals, return to work management, vocational rehabilitation services, and/or implementation of duty to accommodate agreements. The Employee Health & Wellness Advisor promotes disability management best practice; provides expert advice and training; maintains financial accountability; and liaises and negotiates with key partners that include employees, managers, unions, insurance carriers, treatment providers, Employee & Labour Relations, and lawyers to create effective opportunities for SAW/RTW arrangements.

Typical duties and responsibilities:

• Develops, implements, monitors, and evaluates complex and comprehensive case management plans for ill/injured employees to address SAW/RTW and/or work accommodation barriers through consultation with medical and rehabilitation practitioners, third party insurance carriers, managers, unions, Employee & Labour Relations, and employees.

• Establishes innovative and creative short- and long-term solutions to reduce employee absences and facilitate SAW/RTW and medical duty to accommodate arrangements, reducing the disability burden on the organization. Identifies systemic barriers to RTW and facilitates unit-specific solutions to support and promote suitable transitional work or work accommodations for ill/injured employees. Mitigates risk and financial liability in the event of Enhanced Disability Management Program (EDMP) disputes, disability management or medical Duty to Accommodation related grievances, arbitrations, mediations, and/or human rights complaints. Must be able to support disability management decisions at all levels of the dispute process.

• Develops individualized rehabilitation plans through negotiation and collaboration with external agencies including WorkSafeBC, ICBC, and Canada Life to facilitate safe and durable SAW/RTW or work accommodation agreements for employees. Assesses and interprets medical information, including discussions with medical practitioners, to assess fitness for work and/or to substantiate requirements for medical work accommodation.

• Provides disability management expertise through consultation and support to leaders, employees, and others regarding the administration of EDMP collective agreement language and other disability-related legislation and policies to ensure their consistent application and to create supportive, successful RTW outcomes.

• Promotes and demonstrates constructive, open, and direct communication with all partners (employees, unions, managers, Employee & Labour Relations, treatment providers, third parties) to negotiate effective case management plans and/or to raise and address controversial issues in a constructive manner. Serves as the focal point for centralized communication and coordination of the rehabilitation plan.

• Provides disability management best practice guidance through coaching and/or mentoring to colleagues and clients. Directs the administrative level on process-related functions, as applicable.

• Assesses workplace exposure to ergonomic risks and provides recommendations on interventions such as engineering controls, administrative controls, and training.

• Performs job task analyses and advises departments regarding changes to job design and practices that will reduce the risk for injuries.

• Develops, implements, and evaluates instructional programs and training materials to assist managers, supervisors, and staff in such areas as musculoskeletal injury prevention, RTW, and duty to accommodate.

• Remains current on disability management, human rights, and other related legislation; healthcare collective agreements; and Health Authority policy and procedures to ensure Interior Health Employee Health & Wellness programs are current and within legislative and/or collective agreement requirements.

• In alignment with IH’s Occupational Health & Safety Program, employees shall adhere to all Occupational Health and Safety policies and procedures at all times and attend all required training. Employees are responsible to report any identified hazards, unsafe conditions or incidents to the manager or supervisor immediately.

• Performs other related duties, as assigned.

Honouring Interior Health’s commitment to Truth and Reconciliation and the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA), and Pursuant to Section 42 of the BC Human Rights Code, preferential consideration and/or hiring will be given to qualified applicants who self-identify as Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, or Inuit).

Qualfications
Education, Training, and Experience
• A Bachelor’s and/or Master’s degree in a health discipline such as Kinesiology, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, or Occupational Health Nursing.
• Registration with the appropriate professional organization (as applicable).
• Five years of recent, related experience in healthcare, a large multi-union environment, and/or a similarly complex organization and/or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experiences in the field of disability case management.
• A Certified Disability Management Professional (CDMP) designation with the International DM Standards Council is an asset.

Skills and Abilities
 Ability to communicate effectively, both written and verbally
 Ability to organize and prioritize workload to ensure an efficient office operation.
 Ability to function independently, exercising sound judgment skills.
 Ability to function interdependently in a team environment.
 Ability to be discreet, tactful, and flexible.
 Ability to use computer software efficiently (e.g. word processing, database programs, Excel spreadsheet applications, charts and graphs, and PowerPoint)
 Physical ability to carry out the duties of the position.