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Workers’ Compensation Benefits

Medical Benefits

  • Injured employees are entitled to medical care related to the injury, appropriate, reasonable, and necessary. Precertification (authorization) by IWIF is required for extensive physical therapy, non-emergency diagnostic testing, surgery, pain management, and other non-standard care and procedures.
  • If the injured employee receives a medical bill requesting insurance information, promptly provide the biller with IWIF’s name, claim number, and address.
  • Medical providers can send medical bills directly to IWIF at P.O. Box 9899, Towson, MD 21284-9899
  • Claim numbers are available after the claim has been reported to IWIF. If you need your claim number for treatment, call the worker’s compensation claim designee for your unit or the UMD workers’ compensation office (301)-405-5466 during business hours.
  • IWIF uses Express Scripts myMatrixx with no out-of-pocket expense for the State of Maryland injured workers who need an injury-related prescription. When providing the Express Scripts number to the pharmacist, include the following:
    • The claim number if you have it.
    • Your social security number.
    • The IWIF Group#: IWI01700 (For State of Maryland Injured Workers).
    • The injury date.

Wage Benefits

Accident Leave (AL) – is a benefit paid by UMD and approved by IWIF for lost time from work resulting from an on-the-job accidental injury. AL is paid up to six (6) months after the injury date or until the injured employee is released to return to work, whichever occurs first. AL can be used to attend medical visits if they occur within the six months. AL is paid at a rate of two-thirds (⅔) of the employee’s regular salary. Employees may not use their available accrued leave to “top up” AL to maintain their full pay rate (the six months of accident leave pay is exempt from federal and state taxes but not FICA).

USM Policy on Accident Leave for Nonexempt and Exempt Staff Employees

USM Policy on Accident Leave for Faculty

Temporary Total Disability (TTD) –

is a benefit payable when the injured employee is temporarily, totally disabled from work. IWIF pays TTD to injured employees who are not eligible for AL or after the six (6) months of AL has expired and the injured employee is still disabled. TTD is paid at a rate of two-thirds (⅔) of the employee’s salary, based on their 14 weeks of pay before the accident date, and not to exceed 100% of the State Average Weekly Wage (AWW) maximum. *Employees will move into an unpaid status with UMD while receiving TTD benefits and may not use their available accrued leave to “top up” TTD to maintain their full pay rate.

TTD benefits are payable until a medical provider releases the injured employee to return to full or transitional duty work or the injured employee has reached maximum medical improvement (MMI).

*Employees in an unpaid status will need to contact UHR to ensure continued payment of health insurance, life insurance, and other benefit copayments since they will no longer be deducted from their paycheck while not receiving wages from UMD.

UMD UHR Benefits

Temporary Partial Disability (TPD) – is a benefit payable when the injured employee is partially disabled from work. IWIF pays TPD if the employee is not eligible for AL or after the six (6) months of AL has expired and the employee has been released to return to work at a reduced number of hours. TPD is paid at a rate of 50% of the difference between the AWW and the present wage-earning capacity, not to exceed 50% of the State AWW. Employees will be unpaid by UMD for the equivalent number of TPD hours paid by IWIF and may not use their available accrued leave to “top up” TPD to maintain their full rate of pay.

Modified and Transitional Duty for Work-Related Injuries or Illnesses

UMD is committed to the prompt and effective treatment and rehabilitation of employees injured on the job. In the event of a disabling work injury, UMD will attempt to return injured employees back to work in some capacity as soon as medically indicated. Suitable work is productive and valuable to UMD’s operations and complies with the employee’s medical restrictions allowing a safe return to work as quickly as possible. Suitable transitional work enables the employee to progressively assume full, pre-injury duties.

UMD encourages departments to find appropriate transitional duty assignments for eligible employees, depending on department needs. Transitional duty assignments provide medically able employees the opportunity to perform productive work consistent with medical restrictions imposed by their injury. In addition, employees can receive their regular pay, and their assignment helps reduce the burden of replacing workers. Transitional assignments are made according to the USM VII-7.41 Policy on Modified Duty.

In identifying available transitional duty assignments, IWIF may consult with the employee, UHC, and the employee’s private physician as necessary. Employees may be notified in writing of the available transitional duty assignment.

If the Department cannot find an appropriate transitional duty assignment for the employee, then the employee on accident leave or TTD will continue to receive these benefits (per the applicable policy guidelines) until the Department identifies a suitable transitional duty assignment or the employee’s condition improves enough that UHC or a private medical provider certifies that the employee can return to their full work duties.

If an employee does not accept a transitional duty assignment, the refusal will be reported to IWIF. Accident leave and TTD may be suspended during the refusal period, which could jeopardize other benefits. Under these circumstances, the employee must use their available accrued leave during the period of refusal.

Vocational Retraining Benefits

If a medical provider determines that the injured employee has permanent restrictions and is unable to return to their job, they may be eligible for vocational retraining. The Maryland Workers’ Compensation Commission (WCC) determines eligibility.

Permanent Disability

The Workers Compensation Law provides additional compensation for injuries/illnesses that result in partial or total permanent disability. Please click on Maryland WCC website for additional workers’ compensation information https://www.wcc.state.md.us/

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