ReAudio: ReAssess Your Workers Comp Toolbox
ReInvent your Workers' Comp Perspective!
Things change. In fact, that’s one of the most sure things in life. Haven’t we learned that these past few years? ReAudio has changed too. Starting as a way to provide tools and value to our partners in the Workers' Compensation Industry, we have changed into a human interest podcast, primarily interviewing people who have overcome adversity to achieve success, however, that’s defined by them. Because change is a permanent reality, ReAudio is hoping to help you see our industry a little differently. Through storytelling and exploring different perspectives, Season 4 will guide you to ReImagine your Workers' Comp ReAlity.
Winner of the BLOOM Excellence Awards 2023 Podcast of the Year
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ReAudio: ReAssess Your Workers Comp Toolbox
Unintended Consequences
The biggest lesson I’ve learned in the 89 episodes we’ve done of ReAudio is that attitude is everything. A positive attitude from an employer can make or break a modified duty assignment. The attitude of an adjuster, with the benefit of an Injured Worker in mind, can influence the attitude of the employer and the injured worker. But it’s the attitude (many times the ingrained attitude) of someone who sustains an injury that’s most impressive. That’s why we bring you positive stories… to prove positive attitudes win, even in Workers Comp.
R-E-A-R-E-A-R-E-A-R-E-A Audio R-E-A-audio.
Speaker 2:R-E-A-audio.
Speaker 1:R-E-A-audio. R-e-a-audio. R-e-a-audio R-E-A-audio Reemployability. Reemployability.
Speaker 2:Reemployability.
Speaker 1:Season 3.
Speaker 2:He got up, just like every other morning, and did those mundane things we all do he stretched, scratched an itch, shuffled into the kitchen and made some coffee. Then he shuffled back into the bathroom, wiping the sleep out of his eyes to brush the whites of his teeth. Juan got into his truck and drove to work, listening to the radio and thinking about the days that his daughters were going to have at school. Man, he wished that he had more time with them. They were growing up so fast. He got to work, punched in, started to do what he does each and every day, but the next thing he knew he was on the ground with a shooting pain in his side. He didn't know what happened, but he knew it wasn't good. Life was about to change for Juan.
Speaker 2:The biggest lesson I've learned in the 89 episodes we've done of R-E-A-audio is that attitude is everything. A positive attitude from an employer can make or break an assignment. The attitude of an adjuster, with the benefit of the injured worker in mind, can influence the attitude of the employer and the injured worker. But it's the attitude many times the ingrained attitude of someone who sustains an injury. That's most impressive. That's why we bring you positive stories to prove positive attitudes win. So Juan ended up sustaining a pretty serious hip injury that kept him sitting for the majority of the time throughout his recovery. When he was released to modify duty, re-employability placed him at Martha's Village and Kitchen. Here's Alexandria Vargas, not-for-profit coordinator when Juan was placed there.
Speaker 1:We serve the community in Indio, california, but we serve all of the Coachella Valley. We are a homeless shelter. We also have a daycare on site and that is open to the public, where we offer low, affordable daycare. My son is actually in the daycare. He absolutely loves it. We take children as young as six weeks old up to five years old. We also have an emergency pantry on site so people are able to come and get groceries for their household and, as we know, you know, prices are just rising.
Speaker 1:So as long as we are a homeless shelter, we do serve the homeless. But we also work on preventing homelessness. So you know we have our Career and Education Center where we hold mock interviews, help with resumes, help with, you know, we look at job postings and see, you know who, where people fit, to kind of help them in that way. We provide them with resources, subsidized housing. You know pretty much anything we can do to help prevent this. And right now our biggest thing is our cooling center, because it is in the triple digits here. So we have this location in Indio and our Palm Springs Access Center. So both are active cooling centers where we provide water, snacks, a movie, seven days a week from I believe it's 9 am to 4 pm.
Speaker 2:Again, what impresses me the most is Juan's attitude throughout Willingness to do whatever he can, with the knowledge that his work is helping him recover, as well as the community.
Speaker 1:He can get up and move around, but it's recommended that he sits for at least, you know, every other 15 minutes or so, just because of his hip. Okay, so he's able to move around, just not for a long period of time. And you know there are limits as to weight so that he can carry, and he's obviously mindful of that as well. So you know, even if he's in the pantry, we do remind him hey, it's fine to take a break or take it easy, and he also, you know he's so comfortable and we're so comfortable with him, we do invite him to eat lunch with us as staff. He also gets his lunch at the same time that staff does and he sits with staff and he's one of us really.
Speaker 2:If you put yourself in Juan's shoes, you can see how uncomfortable and self-conscious you could be around people that you don't know, in an unfamiliar environment. Yet he was willing to take on any job within his restrictions. That needed to be done. A really positive attitude that endured him to the rest of the staff at Martha's Kitchen, so much so that he was given the honor of being the focus of the organization's volunteer spotlight. Here's Alexandria again.
Speaker 1:I would typically choose the volunteer spotlight myself. It was always open, you know, anybody can make a recommendation. This was the very first time in my 10 months of being here that I had staff approach me and say you know what Juan has to be? It it has to be Juan. And I remember our friend desk. She had actually asked me first. She said did you pick up volunteer spotlight? And I said no, not yet. She's like Juan housekeeping. Oh Juan, please. He's so awesome. He even helps us sometimes and the kitchen as well. They love Juan too. Everybody was very happy to hear that he got that honor.
Speaker 2:But here's the real kicker the unintended consequences. After sustaining an injury at work, Juan's been able to spend more time with his two young girls throughout the recovery, A blessing he may not have had if he hadn't had such a positive outlook on his situation.
Speaker 1:When he first approached me and said my wife is working, is there any way? I can just go really quick to pick up my kids from school? And my kids have a parent-teacher conference and this would be my first time going and I said you know what? You get a break, go ahead and pick up your kids. Go ahead, and just let me know ahead of time that you're going to be out, just so I can. For liability purposes, I need to know who's on site. And I said parent-teacher conference go for it. Your daughter has a birthday party in her class and you need to bring pizza. Go for it. So I think we've met in the middle. For sure, since we appreciate him so much, we're able and we're more than willing to make those accommodations for him.
Speaker 2:And these unintended consequences will go on. Alexandria is confident that Juan has new ways to grow in relationships with his daughters, moving forward Ways that are beneficial for his family and his community.
Speaker 1:We have discussed his future participation. When they're older, we do a Thanksgiving 5K and I told him. I said you know, your daughters can volunteer with you and that'll be a fun activity, cause now they have this new relationship with their father that they probably didn't have before because he didn't have the time, and so you know, it'll still give them that activity to do. Even if it's just, you know, a Thanksgiving 5K, it's something that they have now.
Speaker 2:Now, last month, over a thousand injured workers were put into not-for-profit placements for their modified duty by re-employability. That's over a thousand potential wands Earning their wages, creating new relationships, and put into position that could lead to over a thousand positive, unintended consequences. I don't say this for our benefit, but for the opportunity and choice that everyone has to embrace what life serves up. Live life on life's terms and you never know what good might come of it. Thanks for listening to REA Audio. Now we need you to help us out. If you know someone whose story should be told, please let us know. Email Todd at reemployabilitycom. That email address link will be in the show notes as well. We'd love to have you follow REA Audio on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or Stitcher, wherever you get your podcasts. You can also check out more content at listentoreacom. Remember, lead with the good and have a great rest of your week.
