| City of Huntsville - Worker's Compensation |
WORKER'S COMPENSATION
The objective of the City of Huntsville's workers' compensation program is to report on-the-job accidents and injuries in  accordance with Alabama Workers' Compensation Law; provide medical treatment for employees who have experienced on-the-job injuries; provide compensation for employees while they are temporarily disabled due to on-the-job injuries; and reintegrate employees into the workplace as quickly as possible, without sacrificing the quality of care.
Under Alabama Workers' Compensation Law, an accident must arise out of and in the course of employment. There must be a relationship between the employment and the accident, and it must occur within the period of employment, at a place where the employee may reasonably be, and while he or she is fulfilling the duties of employment or engaged in something incidental to it.
An accident is defined as an unexpected or unforeseen event happening suddenly and violently, with or without human fault, producing at the time of injury to the physical structure of the body or damage to an artificial member of the body by accidental means.
When an employee experiences an on-the-job injury, he or she should complete and submit an Employee's First Report of Injury to the Human Resources Department within five (5) days of the injury. If the employee requires medical treatment for the  injury, the City's Employee Health Clinic is the initial point of contact. The on-site nurse, who is a LPN, directs the care of all injured employees. If the injury is minor and can be treated at the City Clinic, either the nurse or one of the City Clinic's physicians will treat the injury. If the injury is more serious, the nurse will provide the employee with the appropriate medical authorization forms and refer the employee to the City's authorized treating physicians at Occupational Health Group (OHG), who specialize in occupational health medicine.
An employee may use accrued sick leave, annual leave, compensatory, and holiday time while unable to work due solely to an injury sustained on the job on a prorated basis as follows:
 Upon request, the employee shall receive pay for and be charged with the amount of such accrued sick leave, annual leave, compensatory, and holiday time necessary to supplement the workers' compensation weekly pay. For example, if workers' compensation amounts to seventy five percent (75%) of the regular pay, the employee would be charged only with sufficient sick leave, annual leave, compensatory, or holiday time to make up the remaining twenty-five percent (25%) of regular pay; and.
Such supplemental pay shall cease upon death, or when certified by competent medical authority that the employee has been determined to have a permanent partial disability or permanent total disability.
The City of Huntsville's return to work policy is based on the authorized treating physician's opinion. Employees who have been off work due to an on-the-job injury may return to work, upon written authorization from the authorized treating physician, either full duty (with no restrictions), or restricted duty. If the department has work that can accommodate the employee's restrictions, the employee may be allowed to work within those guidelines. However, if the department does not have work that can accommodate the employee's restrictions, the employee must remain on workers' compensation. If there is no work within the department that can accommodate the employee's restrictions and the employee has reached maximum medical improvement (MMI), the employee may be required to use accrued leave until he or she is able to return to work or until such time as a determination can be made concerning the employee's work status.
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