All Boston College employees are covered by the provisions of Chapter 152 of
the Massachusetts General Laws, generally known as the Worker’s Compensation
Law. This law provides the guidelines and procedures for determining whether
you have had a work-related injury and what your rights to compensation and
medical benefits may be. Since June 1, 1990, Boston College has been self-insured
for Worker’s Compensation. The following procedures are subject to change
at any time.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE AN ACCIDENT ON THE JOB
- Notify your supervisor immediately.
- Go to the University Health Services in Cushing Hall.
If you are unable to go immediately to the University Health Services, you or your supervisor must still report the injury to Health Services, either in person or by phone, within 24 hours. A nurse in Health Services will complete an Accident/Injury Report and send it to the Human Resources Service Center. A Worker’s Compensation claim cannot be processed without this report. The Service Center will prepare the “Employer’s First Report of Injury” form and send it to the firm that handles Worker’s Compensation claims for Boston College.
- Sign a medical release authorization form.
For the claim to be processed, you must give the claims administrator permission to review all medical records relating to your claim. The form is available from University Health Services.
HOW TO OBTAIN INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR WORKER’S COMPENSATION CLAIM
The claims administrator for Boston College is: Curtin, Murphy &
O’Reilly, P.C.
Address: Park Square Building, 31 St. James Avenue, Suite 320, Boston, MA 02116
This law firm will make the initial determination of your entitlement to compensation and/or medical benefits and will notify you of the action they are taking on your claim. If you need information about your claim, you should contact Kristie Champa at 617-574-1700.
[Note: Medical bills and prescription receipts related to your claim should be sent to Kristie at the above address. Please give this information to any medical providers who treat you.]
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ARE ABLE TO RETURN TO WORK
- Call the University Health Services (617-552-3225) and make an
appointment to be examined. Also obtain a letter from your own doctor, if
applicable.
If you were treated by a personal physician, you must bring to Health Services a letter from that doctor approving your return to work and specifying any restriction you may have.
- Get a return-to-work authorization form from Health Services.
You must give this authorization form to your supervisor before you can begin work. The form is also sent to the Service Center to update your Worker’s Compensation records.
PAYMENT INFORMATION
Eligibility to receive Worker’s Compensation will be determined once you
have lost five consecutive days (including weekends).
- If you are disabled for fewer than twenty-one days:
- Any payment due for the first five consecutive days will come from Boston College (applies to benefits-eligible employees only). For the first work-related injury in a fiscal year (June 1 - May 31), this pay will not be charged to your accrued sick leave.
- For the second and subsequent incidents in the same fiscal year, any pay you receive from Boston College for the first five days will be charged to your accrued sick leave.
- You will be entitled to Worker’s Compensation benefits beginning
with the sixth lost day.
- If you are disabled for twenty-one or more days:
- You will be entitled to Worker’s Compensation pay retroactive to the first five days. If Boston College paid you during that initial five-day period, the Worker’s Compensation check can be endorsed over to Boston College and no adjustment will be made to your pay. If you keep the check, when you return to work your regular pay will be withheld for the equivalent number of hours for which you were paid during the initial five-day period.
Note: When an incident is reported immediately to Health Services, Worker’s Compensation payments will normally begin in a timely fashion, and your department normally will not pay you after the initial five-day period. However, if you do receive continued salary payments from Boston College, and then you receive Worker’s Compensation pay for the same period, the University must be reimbursed for any overlapping payments. Therefore, when you return to work your regular pay will be withheld for an equivalent number of days until the “duplicate” payment is recovered.
MEDICAL AND DENTAL PREMIUMS AND OTHER DEDUCTIONS
If you are enrolled in a Boston College medical plan, the University
currently covers the full premium for your medical coverage while you
are off the payroll and are receiving Worker’s Compensation payments.
If you are enrolled in a dental plan, you must pay the normal employee portion of the premium by personal check each month in order to continue the coverage. Contact the Benefits Office to make arrangements. Failure to make payments will result in loss of coverage. [Note: For absences of less than a month, missed dental premiums will normally be automatically deducted upon your return.]
For other deductions (e.g., MetPay, Credit Union), you must make your own arrangements with the vendor to continue appropriate payments.
ACCRUALS
Vacation and sick day accruals continue at the normal rate during the first
three months of absence due to a work-related injury. After three months, accruals
will cease until you return to work.
LONG-TERM DISABILITY
If it ever appears that you might be out of work for more than six months, you
should contact the Benefits Office (617-552-3329) to inquire about applying
for benefits under the Disability Insurance Plan.
QUESTIONS?
Contact Leigh LaCorcia in the HRSC, More Hall 370, at 617-552-6410 [e-mail:
leigh.lacorcia@bc.edu].