When an employee sustains an injury or becomes ill, they may be unable to perform certain job duties or need time off from work.  The staff of the Work Connect Program will guide and assist Mayo Clinic Rochester employees and their supervisor through the leave process and eventual return to work.  The Work Connect Program is an integrated disability management program comprised of staff from the Claims, Return to Work, and Integrated Disability Coordinator sections in Recovery and Claims Services (RCS), the Nurse Case Managers in Occupational Health Services (OHS), and Human Resources.  The Work Connect Program is applicable to employees who sustain work related injury or illness and non-work related injuries and illness, including maternity and paternity leave requests.

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All employees need the right tools to effectively perform their job.  Mayo Clinic Rochester offers services through the Recovery and Claims Services (RCS) Return to Work Section (RTW) that assist employees and supervisors in determining if a reasonable accommodation can be provided for an employee.

  • A reasonable accommodation is any modification or adjustment to a job or work environment that will enable an employee with a disability to perform essential job functions.
  • Essential job functions are the fundamental, crucial job duties performed in a position and the position exists to perform these functions.
  • Employees are required to perform the essential functions of their job with or without reasonable accommodations.
  • Examples of accommodations might include temporary handicap parking, electric scooter, knee caddy, phone headset, etc.

Requesting an Accommodation

If an employee and/or supervisor believe that an employee might require or benefit from an accommodation in order to perform their job duties, contact the assigned Return to Work Disability Compliance Advisor.  If a Return to Work Disability Compliance Advisor has not been assigned, please contact Return to Work via email or by calling Work Connect at 507-422-0505.  A Return to Work Disability Compliance Advisor will be in contact with the employee and/or supervisor.  The Return to Work staff have expertise in medical and vocational management of disabilities and compliance with state and federal disability legislation.

Anyone can request an accommodation (employee, supervisor, treating provider documented on work restriction documents), however, discussion with a Return to Work Disability Compliance Advisor needs to occur to make sure the best accommodation is implemented.  Regulatory and safety requirements are taken into consideration when determining reasonable accommodations.