Workers Compensation Policy

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Policy Category: Executive  

Effective Date: 9/26/2025

Responsible Officer: Vice President of Human Resources, Chief Human Resources Officer

History: New Policy, Updated 9/26/2025

Responsible Office: Human Resources  

Location: Link

Purpose

This policy is intended to provide guidance to Wentworth Institute of Technology (henceforth known as “the university” or “Wentworth”) related to workers compensation.  

Workers’ compensation insurance provides payment for medical care, disability, rehabilitation, and wage replacement to covered employees who suffer job-related injury or illness. It also provides death benefits to the beneficiaries of workers who have died due to an accident or illness suffered as a result of their employment.

Scope/Applicability

Employees covered by the Institute’s Workers’ Compensation insurance include: all full-time, part-time, permanent, temporary faculty, staff, and student workers on the Wentworth payroll whose primary work assignment is in Massachusetts. Those who work primarily outside of Massachusetts, who volunteer their services to the university, and independent contractors are not covered by this policy and must contact Human Resources for further guidance. 

Legal

Policy  

This policy was created to comply with Massachusetts’ law and to protect employees against financial loss due to personal injury and some occupational illnesses arising out of and in the course and scope of employment at the University.  

Definitions

Employee: all full-time, part-time, permanent, and temporary faculty, staff, and student workers on the Wentworth payroll.

Workplace Injury: job-related injury or illness due to an accident or exposure suffered by an Employee as a result of their employment.

Average Weekly Wage: is the sum of total gross earnings, including overtime, bonuses, etc., for the 52 weeks prior to the date of injury, divided by 52. (Note: If an employee is employed by Wentworth for only a portion of the 52 weeks prior to the date of injury, divide the total gross earnings by the number of weeks of employment in the prior year, to determine the average weekly wage.) 

Procedure(s)

Reporting an Incident

An Employee who has been injured or becomes ill as a result of their employment at the University should seek immediate medical attention and should notify their supervisor as soon as practicable. For emergencies, employees should call Wentworth Police at 617-989-4444, or 911. For non-emergencies, employees should seek care with an urgent care facility, or the employee’s primary care provider for their first visit. Injured employees are expected to schedule an administrative visit with Human Resources within seven calendar days of an injury or as soon as practicable. Work-related injuries or illnesses should be reported immediately by the employee or supervisor via the Wentworth Accident Report Form. The employee or supervisor must submit the Wentworth accident report form of the illness or injury that occurred as instructed on the form. Human Resources submits appropriate reports of occupational injury or illness to the Massachusetts Department of Industrial Accidents.

Once a report is filed, the employee will be assigned a case manager from Wentworth’s workers compensation third-party administrator, FutureComp.

Injured employees are responsible for submitting medical documentation to FutureComp, in a timely manner consistent with legal requirements. Failure to submit this documentation may result in a delay of wage replacement benefits and/or payment of medical bills or associated co-pays. 

Payment of Workers Compensation Benefits

Under Massachusetts law, there is a five calendar day waiting period prior to the commencement of indemnity (wage replacement) payments. On day six, the indemnity payments will begin and be paid directly to the employee by Wentworth’s workers’ compensation provider. If the injured employee is out of work for 21 calendar days or more, the indemnity benefit will go back retroactively to day one.  For other states, the waiting period may be longer or shorter.  Please consult the applicable state website or contact Human Resources for assistance.

Employees are able to apply eligible accrued paid time off benefits to cover the waiting period (first five calendar days in Massachusetts and varies in other states), but not to supplement or offset their workers’ compensation lost time pay.

Should an employee receive payments from both Wentworth and Wentworth’s workers’ compensation provider for the applicable waiting period (five calendar days in Massachusetts and varies in other states), the employee will have been paid twice. In the event this occurs, the employee will be asked to cash the workers' compensation check for that period and remit the funds to Wentworth Human Resources.

Medical bills should be sent to your assigned workers’ compensation case manager. If you do not know who your workers’ compensation case manager is, please contact Human Resources.

Wage Replacement and Medical Benefits

An employee who is absent between 6 and 20 days as the result of an accident or illness deemed to be industrial (that is, work-related) is eligible for statutory wage replacement benefits from the sixth day of absence due to injury or illness. When an employee is out for more than 20 days, the benefits are paid back to the first full day of disability.

The maximum wage replacement benefit for injured employees who lose time for work is 60% of the employee's Average Weekly Wage, not to exceed the average weekly wage in the Commonwealth (established each October 1). The wage replacement benefit is not taxable.

In all workers' compensation cases, payment for adequate and reasonable medical and hospital services is also provided by Wentworth as mandated by the Workers' Compensation Act of Massachusetts. 

Supplemental Payments

Subject to an employee’s available accrued sick, vacation and personal time, the university may make the following supplemental payments to employees absent from work due to an occupational injury or illness:

If an employee is absent for fewer than the five scheduled workdays required to assure wage replacement benefits, the Institute may pay the employee their Average Weekly Wage. If an employee is absent for six or more workdays, wage replacement benefits will begin and will compensate lost wages at 60% of the employee's Average Weekly Wage. For this purpose, the Average Weekly Wage is based on the prior 52 weeks before the date of injury. Payments are tax-free and no deductions are taken.

If an employee’s wage replacement benefit is less than their Average Weekly Wage, they can elect to supplement their wage replacement benefit by using the Employee’s accumulated balance of Sick, Vacation and Personal time (in that order) to make up the 40% difference. The supervisor must then report the supplemental time as determined by the Employee’s accumulated balance. If the employee does not elect to supplement the wage replacement benefit, the supervisor reports the unpaid time as Leave Without Pay (LWOP). An employee who has elected to supplement with Sick Vacation or Personal time can opt out of supplementing for future payments at any time during the leave; if so, the employee is responsible, after the opt-out takes effect, for reimbursing the University for the Employee’s share of benefit costs, such as health vision, dental insurance or supplemental life insurance coverage. If the employee does not make an election, accumulated Sick Time will automatically be used to supplement their wage replacement benefit.

Because there may be administrative delays before the employee actually receives wage replacement benefits for the first five days, Sick Time balances may be used to cover these days of absence. If an employee is out for more than 21 consecutive workdays, the employee will also receive wage replacement for the first five days that they were out of work due to the injury or illness. Sick Time used for the first five days may be restored if the employee endorses their wage replacement check to Wentworth and sends it to Human Resources. This will restore 60% of used Sick Time and the remaining 40% will continue to be charged as Sick Time unless the employee opts to buy this time back by payroll deductions.

Leaves and Benefits While on Workers’ Compensation Leave

Accrual of Sick and Vacation Leave

An employee who is absent from work as the result of an occupational injury or illness, and who is receiving Worker's Compensation insurance payments, will earn vacation at their normal rate for a period not to exceed one year, and will be credited with Sick Time for the period of absence.

Payment of Holiday Pay

An employee will be paid for a holiday which falls during a period of absence due to an occupational injury or illness only if they are supplementing their wage replacement benefits with sick leave. (See above.) In this event, the portion of supplemental pay normally charged to Sick Time will be charged to holiday pay.

Continuation of University Benefits

Certain university benefits may be maintained for a limited period of time, provided the employee makes arrangements with the HR/Payroll to continue the employee’s appropriate contributions. The injured employee is encouraged to speak with Human Resources about your benefits.

The university will not continue the university’s contributions to the Employee’s retirement accounts. The Employee may choose to continue their own contributions by contacting Human Resources.

Notice of Intent to Return

Upon request, an employee must submit a Notice of Intent to Return Form to Human Resources. An employee may not return to work, in his/her regular capacity, or in a modified or light duty capacity, without valid written medical certification authorization.

Review of Employment Status  

In cases of prolonged absence due to an occupational illness or injury, the employment status of the individual will be reviewed periodically and may result in termination of employment consistent with the University’s policies and applicable laws. 

Additional Information & Related Documents  

  • Create a handout that will be posted on Workday
  • Policy on Accommodation and Accessibility
  • Policy on PFMLA (there will likely be cross-over) 

Interpretation & Revision  

Any questions of interpretation regarding this policy shall be referred to Human Resources. They will be the final authority regarding the interpretation of this policy.  

This policy shall be reviewed every three years; however, minor changes and updates can be made at any time.    

Wentworth will typically apply the policy in place at the time it receives a report concerning the respected policy.   

Review and Revision History  

This policy was drafted by representatives from Human Resources, Environmental Health and Safety, and Office of Compliance and Risk Management. This policy was reviewed by Cabinet and approved by the President on 9/26/2025.

While this is a new policy, it replaces any existing guidance on this issue.