What to Expect from a Labour Market Re-Entry Assessment
Posted on November 1st, 2017 by Don Kunkel
A Labour Market Re-Entry Assessment
can be a valuable tool in helping to identify strategies that enable a worker to re-enter the workforce, especially after an injury or illness. The results provide information about the types of work an individual would be most qualified for and able to obtain in their geographic area.
We have created this resource to provide you with more information about Labour Market Re-Entry Assessments, including what the process involves and what it can achieve.
What Is a Labour Market Re-Entry Assessment?
A Labour Market Re-Entry Assessment evaluates an individual’s transferrable skills and aptitudes and determines if they need assistance to re-enter the workforce. The goal is to identify the worker’s abilities while eliminating or minimizing their loss of earnings as a result of their injury or illness.
Keep in mind that this assessment does not include other services such as:
- Direct job placements
- Education or similar upgrades
- Job search training
- Work hardening
A Labour Market Re-Entry Assessment can, however, identify that there is a need for those services.
When Should a Labour Market Re-Entry Assessment Be Used?
This assessment is most appropriate in cases where an individual is potentially unable or has been deemed unable to return to their own occupation after an injury or illness. It is needed in order to suggest alternate suitable occupational options available in an individual’s geographic area based on their skills, education, and experience.
What Is Involved in the Process?
Often, Labour Market Re-Entry Assessments are requested by Claims Adjusters, Case Managers, or Rehabilitation Specialists working for insurance companies. Human Resources Specialists and Managers might also request these assessments on behalf of an employer.
Once requested, a Referral Coordinator will assign the case to the Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist, and then facilitate booking the appointments needed to complete the assessment.
A Labour Market Re-Entry Assessment includes:
- A vocational evaluation report
- A transferrable skills analysis (TSA)
- A labour market survey (LMS) report
The Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist will also review the individual’s medical documentation in order to identify their limitations, restrictions, and functional abilities and schedule an interview with them. This appointment, which typically lasts between three and six hours, will cover academic achievement, aptitudes, interests, and any additional areas if they are applicable.
Together, these reports (the vocational evaluation, TSA, and LMS) and the additional information gathered will:
- Detail the individual’s skills (demonstrated and tested) and level of education and experience.
- Identify vocational alternatives for which the individual is suited in conjunction with their medical or functional concerns and abilities.
- Specify whether or not these jobs are available or exist in the individual’s geographic region.
The vocational alternatives should approximate the individual’s pre-loss earnings or meet a wage target as identified by the requesting party. If there are no suitable occupations, recommendations for educational upgrading or retraining are offered.
A Labour Market Re-Entry Assessment can be completed in conjunction with other assessments such as a Functional Abilities Evaluation or a Psychological Assessment.
What Can a Labour Market Re-Entry Assessment Achieve?
Upon completion, a Labour Market Re-Entry Assessment will provide information regarding the kinds of work for which the individual would be the most qualified and which they would most realistically be able to obtain in their region. This can provide the requesting party with the information required to confidently process claims or manage cases, and it can provide the individual with personalized and useful information they can use when making decisions as part of the process of returning to the workforce.
If you are considering requesting a Labour Market Re-Entry Assessment for a client, it is important to make sure you are fully informed about the process. If you have any additional questions about it, contact your IME service provider for answers specific to your case.
AssessMed has been providing IME services to organizations across Canada since 1991. Contact us today to learn about our suite of CARF-accredited offerings.
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