Workers Compensation

At Southern Oregon University we care about our employees and want to make sure that in the event of a work related accident, illness or injury that you receive timely care and appropriate attention for your injury.

How to File a Claim:

Report all injuries or illnesses that arise out of your employment and occur during the course and scope of your employment immediately to your manager, supervisor or Human Resource Services. If the accident involves property damage please have your supervisor contact Campus Public Safety so that they can take a report.

Have your supervisor complete the Employee Injury/Illness Incident form.
If you need to seek medical care, fill out the worker section of the SAIF 801 form and submit it to Human Resource Services within 24 hours.
Seek treatment with a medical provider of your choice and fill out a form 827 with your doctor or nurse.
Submit a Work Status Report (or similar document), provided to you by your physician's office to Human Resource Services following treatment to verify release status.

Please contact 911 for life threatening injuries or illnesses. If the injury results in a temporary loss of consciousness, do not allow the employee to drive themselves off campus. Contact Campus Public Safety or have the employee arrange for a ride home.

Workers Compensation Insurance Carrier:

Southern Oregon University employees are covered by worker's compensation insurance when they suffer a compensable injury/disease in the course and scope of employment. State Accident Insurance Fund Corporation (SAIF) is the university's workers' compensation insurance carrier. SAIF will determine the compensability of all claims.

If you have questions about your workers' compensation claim, contact SAIF at 1-800-285-8525.
A SAIF Claims Adjuster will evaluate your claim and determine whether it's a compensable claim.
Be sure to notify your doctor that you have filed a claim for workers compensation, so that if your claim is accepted, SAIF can then pay the medical provider for your treatment.

Scheduling Appointments:

Follow-up care appointments must be scheduled to provide minimal disruption to operations. If possible, schedule appointments outside of normal work hours. If you must miss time from work, notify your supervisor and submit for use of any accrued sick time credits.

You must keep medical appointments and follow your doctor's instructions.
If off work, maintain contact with you supervisor and Human Resource Services so that they may assist you with returning to work as soon as you are able to.
Keep SAIF informed about your condition so benefits may be paid in a timely manner.
Read all notices carefully and respond to requests for information in a timely manner. Failure to respond to requests for information by the due date may affect your claim. Contact SAIF if you have any questions or concerns about your claim or benefits.
Provide your SAIF claim number to your medical provider so they may bill SAIF directly for your medical care.
Submit reimbursement requests for mileage and out of pocket expenses to SAIF in a timely manner.

If Care is Needed on a Continuing Basis:

Employees must provide SOU Human Resource Services with an updated Work Status Form after each appointment and any time there is a change in work status. A work status change may include:

Change to work restrictions or extension of existing restrictions.
Being placed off work or extension of time off work.
A reduced work schedule.
Early release to return to work.

Modified work:

Your doctor may indicate that you have temporary work restrictions because of your injury. Human Resource Services will review temporary work restrictions with your supervisor or manager and will place you on modified duty when operationally possible for reasonable accommodation.

Time Loss from Work:

If you miss time from work, you may be eligible for partial wage loss through SAIF. (Time loss for follow up appointments and physical therapy are not work comp compensable and you may need to use accrued sick, vacation or other accruals to cover your lost wages, depending on your classification and terms of your collective bargaining agreement)

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA), is a federal law that requires employers to provide job protection to qualifying employees who take time off for a serious health condition and other qualifying absences from work. Your occupational injury/illness may meet the definition of an FMLA serious health condition. If you are missing time from work, you will be notified about your eligibility for FMLA leave. Time loss and FMLA leave run concurrently.

If you have any questions regarding workers' compensation, please contact Michele Barlow, Assistant Director of HR/Accessibility Coordinator at 541-552-8119, or email barlowm@sou.edu.

Safety Resources

Saif logo

SAIF is our workers compensation provider and has a number of safety resources available. These are organized by safety topic. Employees may find some of the following resources helpful.

SAIF also has a video library and training calendar. Some of the latest resources can be found on the Ergonomics page.

COVID Exposure and Workers Compensation

Workers who have been exposed to COVID-19 at work may be entitled to have their lost wages and medical expenses covered by their employer’s workers’ compensation insurance. Employers cannot retaliate or discriminate against a worker for filing a workers’ compensation claim or for raising workplace safety concerns.

Workers who have been quarantined or isolated due to a workplace exposure or have contracted COVID-19 in the workplace may be entitled to have their lost wages and medical expenses covered by their employer’s workers’ compensation insurance.

Follow these rules for COVID-19-related workers' compensation situations:

Workers should tell their employer about any job-related injury or exposure as soon as possible.
Employers must provide a workers’ compensation claim filing form (Form 801), if requested. Workers may also file a workers’ compensation claim through a medical provider.
Employers may not prevent a worker from reporting or filing a claim for any on-the-job injury, exposure, or illness.
Workers may seek medical services from a provider of their choice; however, only certain types of providers are allowed to authorize time off work. Employers may not direct or interfere with medical services.
Employers cannot directly pay for a worker’s medical services or require a worker to use private health insurance, instead of the worker filing a workers’ compensation claim.
Employers cannot retaliate or discriminate against a worker for filing a workers’ compensation claim or for raising workplace safety concerns.

Flyer - COVID exposure in the workplace in the workplace

For additional information on Safety and Illness/Injury Prevention, visit the Environmental Health and Safety page at:

https://inside.sou.edu/ehs/index.html