Workers’ Compensation

Life Threatening Work-Related Injuries

In the event of a medical emergency, call 911. After ensuring that an employee receives emergency medical care, AmeriSys, the State of Florida’s medical case management vendor, should also be notified of any work-related medical emergency as soon as possible by calling 1-800-455-2079.

Non-Life Threating Work-Related Injuries

1. The injured employee and supervisor should immediately contact AmeriSys by calling 1-800-455-2079. Treatment for any non-life threatening work-related injury or illness must be authorized by AmeriSys prior to obtaining medical treatment.
2. For properties not owned by the University of Florida, i.e. the 720 Building and 800 Building please email the property management companies listed below.
   • Ayers (720) Building - Theresa Jones, tjones25@ufl.edu Ph: 352-294-2725
   • 800 Building - Ann Danhof, adanhof@atlantic-cos.com Ph: 470-231-4598
3. AmeriSys will determine if medical treatment is necessary, and assist the employee and supervisor in completing the First Report of Injury or Illness Form. The supervisor and employee should be prepared to provide information such as description of the injury, job title, rate of pay, department, etc. The supervisor will be asked to leave the room while the AmeriSys intake person obtains the injured employee’s personal health AmeriSys will select an appropriate medical provider and arrange the initial appointment and any necessary follow up treatment from within the AmeriSys Workers’ Compensation Services Provider Directory.
4. You must attend all of your scheduled medical appointments. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action up to and including Maintain contact with your supervisor daily or as directed by your supervisor in order to keep him/her informed about your medical progress, on-going treatment, and prognosis for recovery. Remember: Absence from work due to a work-related injury/illness will count toward the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) entitlement as set forth in the Act.
5. Read UF’s modified duty When your medical provider releases you to work, regardless of the limitations/restrictions you may have, you must be willing and available to return to the workplace.
6. AmeriSys will provide the State Division of Risk Management and the UF Workers’ Compensation Coordinator with a copy of the completed First Report of Injury or Illness. After receiving notification from AmeriSys of a work-related injury, the University of Florida’s Workers’ Compensation Coordinator will contact the employee and supervisor to discuss any questions regarding Workers’ Compensation, including but not limited to wages, time reporting, usage of leave, follow up care and absences for appointments, and modified duty.
7. Following all medical appointments, the employee must provide a copy of the Florida Workers’ Compensation Uniform Medical Treatment/Status Reporting Form (DWC-25) or duty status to the supervisor. The supervisor should send the DWC-25 or duty status to the UF Workers’ Compensation Coordinator, who will review the employee’s status and, if applicable, the medical provider’s restrictions to determine if the person is eligible for the Modified Duty Program.
   • If the DWC-25 or duty status indicates that an employee is not permitted to work or if the restrictions cannot be accommodated by the department, the supervisor must contact the UF Workers’ Compensation Coordinator at 352-392-4940 immediately.
8.  The supervisor must complete the Accident Investigation Report and submit it to Environmental Health and Safety and the UF Workers’ Compensation Office within 24 hours of the Environmental Health and Safety should be notified at 352-392-1591 of any workplace hazards immediately.

Occupational Exposure to Blood or Bodily Fluids

Time is critical, so call 1–866-477-6824 immediately! Use this number 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to receive instructions regarding medical risk and appropriate care. Immediately after you have been evaluated/treated, contact AmeriSys by calling 1-800-455-2079.

Contact the UF Workers’ Compensation Office

• If you are unable to attend a scheduled medical appointment.
• For assistance with recording your time and/or leave for doctor appointments, leaves of absence whether paid or unpaid, and/or when you are receiving workers’ compensation salary indemnification benefits.
• If you have concerns related to your claim, the medical care you are receiving, or the benefits you are receiving.
• If your work unit does not provide you with modified duty The UF Workers’ Compensation Coordinator will discuss the modified duty program and whether you may be eligible to receive workers’ compensation benefits.

Questions? Contact UFWC at: (352) 392-4940 and/or via e-mail at: workcomp@ufl.edu. You may also contact UFWC by dialing 1 -800-955-8771 (TDD).

Reporting After Hours Work Related-Injuries

Workers’ compensation medical care coverage applies to all employees who are authorized to perform their assigned job duties – no matter what time of day or what day of the week it is. The intake unit at AmeriSys is in operation 24 hours a day / 7 days a week and should be contacted promptly to report after hours work-related injuries. AmeriSys will be able to direct the employee to a facility in their local geographic area.

Modified Duty Program

The University of Florida deeply appreciates and values the workplace efforts and contributions of its employees. As a reflection of that appreciation, the University created the Workers’ Compensation Modified Duty Program in 1994. The purpose of the program and its statement of policy are to ensure that each injured employee is provided the opportunity to remain an active and productive member of the University community. To that end, every effort is made to provide modified duty work to those employees who sustain a workers’ compensation compensable injury or illness. 

The policy and provisions of the Modified Duty Program are administered by the University of Florida Workers’ Compensation Office (UFWC) and go into effect when an injured employee’s authorized medical care provider assigns physical restrictions to the employee and then releases that employee to return to work. From that point forward, the employee must be available to return to work and perform duties identified by the department that are within the restrictions established by the employee’s authorized medical care provider. Responsibility for ensuring that temporary modified duty work is provided to injured employees rests with the appropriate Chair, Director, Dean or Vice President.

The Workers’ Compensation Modified Duty Program policy establishes the following obligations and limitations on departments and injured employees: 

• All departments must provide temporary modified duty work to injured employees. UFWC is available to assist administrators with clarifying, identifying, and assigning modified duty work in accordance with the written restrictions provided by the injured employee’s authorized medical care provider.
• If providing modified duty work causes the injured employee’s work unit difficulty, the Chair, Director, Dean, or Vice President may assign the employee to a different work unit. All costs, however, remain the responsibility of the injured employee’s primary work unit.
• Injured employees must perform assigned modified duty work to the best of their ability within the restrictions established by their authorized medical care provider. Departments, however, are under no obligation to provide work to employees who fail to make a good faith effort to perform such work. Employees who refuse to cooperate with and/or participate in the program jeopardize their benefits and face discipline up to and including termination.
• All modified duty work is of a temporary nature and may not exceed 90 consecutive calendar days from its initial commencement without the authorization of the Vice President for Human Resource Services. The obligation to provide modified duty work ends when employees reach maximum medical improvement (MMI); when up to 90 consecutive calendar days have passed, or when a department’s efforts to assist an employee prove to be counter-productive.

The Office of Human Resource Services is available to assist a department if an employee is unable to resume the essential functions of his/her regular job once MMI is assigned; at the conclusion of the modified duty work assignment, or when a department’s efforts to assist an employee prove to be counter-productive.

Remember: Absence from work due to a work-related injury or illness will count toward your Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) entitlement as set forth in the Act.