The Texas A&M University System Workers' Compensation Insurance (WCI) Program was created by the State of Texas to provide reasonable and necessary medical coverage and disability payments to employees who sustain injuries or occupational diseases while in the course and scope of their employment.
Eligibility
All employees whose names appear on the payroll of the University are covered under the program at no personal expense. This coverage includes student and wage employees.
Employee Responsibilities
Employees who suffer an injury or illness as a result of and in the course and scope of employment should immediately notify his/her supervisor. Failure to report the injury within 30 days of the occurrence (or manifestation of the occupational disease) may result in the denial of the claim. Other responsibilities an employee may have pertaining to the accident may include, but are not limited to:
- Responding to any correspondence delivered by the Texas Department of Insurance, Risk Management, or other agencies or individuals needing information regarding the incident;
- Advising the treating practitioner that s/he believes the illness or injury may be work-related; and
- Keeping Risk Management and/or the Texas Department of Insurance advised of any changes of address or phone numbers.
Employer Responsibilities
First Report of Injury or Illness must be submitted online through the Origami Portal.
Instructions for completing the First Report of Injury or Illness:
- No login is required. For details, review the Incident Entry Quick Reference.
- Use of the Lookup function when completing the incident is critical to ensure data is populated correctly from Workday (identified by "Lookup" or the search magnifying glass).
- Please be aware that the Workers' Compensation (WC) liaison is an employee on the HR staff, not at the departmental level.
- Fill in all information and select Complete Incident. Immediately send an email to Employee-Relations@tamu.edu for proper processing.
- The employee, employee's supervisor and Workers' Compensation liaison receive an email regarding the incident.
- Submit your first report within 24 hours to ensure compliance for timely submission.
Department liaisons, supervisors, or designees are required to report any work-related injury or illness to Origami as soon as possible after the incident is reported or has been identified. Other department responsibilities pertaining to an employee's accident in the workplace may include, but are not limited to:
- Providing additional information such as witness statements, wage information, or medical information for purposes of determining eligible WCI benefits;
- Investigating the accident to determine cause;
- Implementing necessary procedures for the prevention of future accidents; and
- Providing the employee the required Notice of Injured Employee Rights and Responsibilities document.
Note to Employees Seeking Medical Assistance: Your health care provider, emergency room, or pharmacy may request billing information regarding your Workers' Compensation claim. For these purposes, provide the Notice of Injured Employee Rights and Responsibilities information to your treating physician or pharmacist:
Risk Management
301 Tarrow, 5th Floor
College Station, TX 77840-7896
Phone: (979) 458-6330
Note to HR Liaisons and Supervisors: Absences due to work-related injuries may also fall under the provisions of The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Proper FMLA procedures must be followed.
Early Return to Work Program
Departments are obligated to attempt, in good faith, to provide meaningful temporary work to those employees who are required to work under a practitioner's restrictions or limitations. Please review additional information regarding the university's Early Return to Work Program if your employee has restrictions regarding their return-to-work status.
Workers' Compensation Forms
- First Report of Injury or Illness
This form should be completed by the Employer online via the Origami Portal as soon as possible after the incident is reported or has been identified.
- Witness Statement
This form should be filled out by a willing witness who personally witnessed a work-related injury. It may be submitted with the first report, if possible, or in a timely manner after the first report has been submitted.
- Request for Paid Leave
This form should be completed by the WCI liaison as soon as the department becomes aware that the employee is losing time due to a work-related injury. Lost time is defined as missing more than one shift of work. The form may be completed by the WCI liaison or designee if the employee is unavailable for a signature, provided the employee is consulted first regarding the choice of leave to use.
- Supplemental Form of Injury or Illness
This form accounts for any period of time lost from work for which the injured worker might be entitled to Workers' Compensation benefits. It also serves as written notice of an employee's time lost from work and return to work after a period of temporary disability or of any change in pay status.
- Wage Statement
This form is required whenever the employing department knows (or should have known) an employee will miss more than seven (7) cumulative days for a work-related injury.