1. Selected topics

Return to work, accommodation and support

IWH has a long history of conducting research on practices, policies and processes that help workers sustainably return to work after an illness or an injury. This page pulls together IWH research and resources on employer supports, job accommodations and modifications, as well as other related issues such as disclosure of disability.

Featured

Speakers address participants at IDEA Symposium
At Work article

Inclusive employment strategies, resources showcased at symposium

Published: November 12, 2025
A tired worker holds her head in her hands as she sits at her desk in a dark office
At Work article

Boomers with and without chronic conditions have similar needs for workplace supports

Yes, older workers with diabetes or arthritis experience fatigue and pain. But they're not that different from healthy peers in how much they need, or use, workplace accommodations, an IWH study has found.
Published: February 2019
Journal article
Journal article

Retirement expectations of older workers with arthritis and diabetes compared with those of workers with no chronic diseases

Published: Canadian Journal on Aging, February 2019
Project
Project

Getting the message right: strengthening RTW communication in B.C.'s health-care sector

Status: Completed 2020
Project
Project

Developing a Canadian work disability standard for paramedics with post-traumatic stress injury

The Institute for Work & Health and Conestoga College are working with CSA Group to develop a Canadian standard on work disability prevention for paramedics with post-traumatic stress injuries.
Status: Completed
Project
Project

Ontario Life After Work Injury Study: Understanding the long-term recovery and labour market outcomes of injured workers in Ontario

Status: Completed
Stylized photo of executive showing improvement over time on graph
Impact case study

Integrating return-to-work principles in an occupational medicine service

An occupational medicine assessment service integrated two of the return-to-work supports (enhanced coordination and communication) outlined in IWH's evidence-based Seven Principles guide, contributing to a significant improvement in the duration of wage replacement benefits among injured workers with problematic musculoskeletal disorders.
Published: November 2018
Chalk drawings of three emojis on a blackboard
At Work article

Slight improvements seen in workplace psychosocial conditions over 10 years

How have psychosocial work conditions changed in Canada over a 10-year time frame? Data from Statscan surveys suggest a slight improvement, but the IWH researchers behind the analysis are cautious in their interpretations.
Published: November 2018
Canadian HR Reporter logo
IWH in the media

Longer hours linked to diabetes risk in women: Study

Women who work more than 45 hours per week face a 63 per cent greater risk of developing diabetes than women who work fewer hours, but the incidence of diabetes tends to go down for men who work longer hours. Marcel Vander Wier reports on a study by the Institute for Work and Health (IWH) and Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES).
Published: Canadian HR Reporter, November 2018
Journal article
Journal article

Association between dimensions of the psychosocial and physical work environment and latent smoking trajectories: a 16-year cohort study of the Canadian workforce

Published: Occupational and Environmental Medicine, October 2018
Journal article
Journal article

What are physicians told about their role in return to work and workers' compensation systems? An analysis of Canadian resources

Published: Policy and Practice in Health and Safety, October 2018