“They made sure I was ok. They made sure I was healthy.”  

That’s how Allan describes how staff working with the MN RETAIN program helped him this year, after he hurt his neck and back.  

MN RETAIN helps employees stay at work or return to work more rapidly when an injury or illness impacts their ability to work. The program connects the employee, employer and health care provider through a MN RETAIN Return to Work Case Manager.  

Allan’s job involves repeatedly lifting 50-pound packages throughout a 12-hour shift as part of his work at a cheese processing company. Because Allan needed to undergo a very serious spinal surgery, he knew he wouldn’t be able to resume lifting heavy packages without extensive rehabilitation and recovery and would be out of work for quite some time. That’s where his MN RETAIN Return to Work Case Manager, Jim Hughes, came in. 

Jim helped navigate conversations with Allan’s health care provider and his employer, so Allan could focus on healing. When he was ready to return to work after several months, Jim helped ensure that Allan’s reintroduction to work was gradual and didn’t put his health recovery at risk. 

“Allan and I started to develop a relationship during the initial telephone screening and our face-to-face consent visit,” said Jim. “This relationship was strengthened with the on-going interactions and was key when assisting with issues on his behalf with the physician and the orthopedic medical team, his physical therapist and the employer’s human resources director. Providing this assistance during his recovery decreased one of Allan’s life stressors and allowed him to re-establish a more normal life situation and routine which needed to include work.” 

Allan’s been back on the job, full time, 12 hours a day in his old position since September 2020. He’s happy to be back. His employer couldn’t be happier that he is, too. Thanks to MN RETAIN and Allan’s perseverance, a valuable employee was retained. A win for everyone – Allan, his employer, and the Minnesota economy. 

Allan recommends MN RETAIN to other Minnesotans who need time to recover and return to work after illness or injury. “Their communication with me was very good.” 

If you would like to find out more about MN RETAIN and how it helps employees and employers, visit the MN RETAIN website. 

Preparation of this presentation was fully funded by the United States Department of Labor and Office of Disability Employment Policy in the amount of $3,500,000 under Cooperative Agreement No. OD-32543-18-75-4-27.  This document does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.