Salary Continuation &
Occupational Injury Leave

March 15, 2010 – The Approved Physicians List for Salary Continuation and Occupational Injury Leave is now available on the Workplace Injury Labor/Management Approved Provider Committee’s website.

WILMAPC is a partnership between the State of Ohio and four of Ohio’s public employees unions, including OCSEA. WILMAPC has the responsibility of maintaining the Provider Panel, a list of qualified and committed physicans who can treat state employees that are injured on the job.

This list is updated regularly, as providers have the ability to be added to the list at any time or opt out at any time.

Occupational Injury Leave provides replacement income for employees who are injured by wards of the state, including inmates and individuals living in mental health and mental retardation or Ohio Veterans’ home facilities. The leave is a substitute for Workers’ Compensation that employees receive in the private sector.

In one of the most significant gains in the 2009-2012 bargaining table, OCSEA negotiated a whole new category called Salary Continuation for state employees who are accidentally injured on the job.

In institutions, approximately two-thirds of employees work directly with inmates or clients and are eligible to file OIL claims if they are injured by a ward of the state.

However, administrative employees and others who are injured by other means have had difficulty filing claims. Now, Salary Continuation is a new category for these non-OIL or non-client related injuries and will compensate employees 100 percent for up to 480 hours.

NEW & IMPROVED - Additionally, contract language developed by an OIL subcommittee will mean employees can receive up to 960 hours of OIL per year per claim. In the 2006 - 2009 contract, employees who qualified for OIL received 100 percent of their pay for up to 960 hours per year.

DOCTOR APPOINTMENTS - Employees also will have the option of using up to three hours of OIL for doctor appointments. With the current contract, any unused hours were lost and employees would have to use sick leave for future appointments pertaining to their injury.

APPEAL PROCESS - In another big win, the union won an appeal process for OIL. This big step will establish a third party administrative panel, made up of parties, as agreed to by SERB, that will review denials and limitations on Salary Continuation outside of the grievance proceedings. OCSEA will be represented on the panel.

Source: Union makes gains with OIL, other employee leaves (PDF) - Public Employee Quarterly, p. 8 Spring 2009

See Related

Website for the Salary Continuation and Occupational Injury Leave (OIL) Training Resources and FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)

OCSEA Contract