Workers' Compensation

In the ever-changing workers' compensation landscape, one wrong turn can cost you. Ascent takes a proactive stance to help control your costs.

Return to Work Strategies

What tools are you currently using to minimize your workers' comp claims costs? Ascent provides a number of services to help get your injured workers back on the job sooner. Return-to-work programs not only benefit the employer, but they also benefit the employee by providing gradual recovery and boosting employee morale, in turn, productivity and engagement.

Safety Evaluations & Inspections

Ascent is committed to keeping your employees safe and reducing claims costs by preventing workplace accidents and creating safer environments for employees. Trust Ascent to conduct a thorough evaluation for your organization's facility and policies.

Unemployment Administration

See how our administrative services can benefit your organization. 

Give us a call today at 513.602.1160 or click here to contact us for to a quote.

Not in the mood to chat right now? Click here to schedule a demo.

FMLA + Absence Management

See how our administrative services can benefit your organization.

Give us a call today at 513.351.1222 or click here to contact us for to a quote.

Not in the mood to chat right now? Click here to schedule a demo.

Workplace Safety Training

Ascent Safety Solutions offers a wide variety of workplace safety trainings that range from OSHA Outreach Courses to Construction and General Industry trainings. Let us help build your safety culture by keeping your employees current.  We offer online training as well as training in your facility or ours. 

Employee Leasing Services

Safety Services Overview

SAFESTAFF, a woman owned business founded by Ascent leader Jessica Esterkamp, offers national safety staffing solutions to all industries with special expertise in construction, manufacturing, and power facilities. 

Hiring one or more Qualified Safety Professionals for a temporary or short-term job site can be time consuming and expensive. SAFESTAFF offers a unique process that takes the guesswork out of delivering high quality safety leaders to manage your project and/or subcontractors. 

Whether your project requires a full-time safety representative on-site, you're above the employee limit on your project, or your facility is experiencing a shutdown and you need safety oversight, we can provide a custom solution ranging from a few hours a day to seven days a week.

The Safety Leadership Workshop

Are you charged with the overwhelming task of managing your company's safety program? How do you keep track of training needs? How do you instill employee commitment and involvement?

The Ascent Safety Leadership Workshop is designed to help safety leaders take proactive steps to establish and implement a clear vision for safety within their organizations. Attendees will learn the necessary tools for an effective safety program including OSHA requirements; record keeping and tracking; investigations; and disciplinary actions. Participants will receive an Ascent Safety Certification upon completion.

Over the course of one and a half days, expect to participate in an interactive classroom that is customized to your client's needs. The workshop will include two breakfasts and one lunch.

Inspections and Trending Analysis

Our inspection process and trending analysis will help give your company an in-depth evaluation of opportunities to improve your workplace safety culture.  Our professionals examine your workers compensation claims history and identify trends in claims then provide recommendations for eliminating the gaps. We also perform a complete inspection of your facilities or a particular job insuring your safety standards are consistent throughout the company.

Our services include:

• Workers' Compensation Claims Trending Analysis
• Mock OSHA Inspection
• Project Safety Inspection
• Facility Safety Inspection
• Personal Protective Equipment Inspection
• Noise Testing
• Respirator Fit Testing

OSHA Compliance Services

Ascent Safety Solutions offers a variety of workplace safety OSHA compliance services ranging from writing or revising your company health and safety manual, OSHA representation, accident investigation to site specific safety plans. Let us help your company stay within the guidelines of OSHA before it is too late. Our services include:

• Health and Safety Manual
• PICS Safety Manual
• ISNET Safety Manual
• MICCS Safety Manual
• BROWZ Safety Manual
• Recordkeeping Compliance
• Job Hazard Analysis
• Safety Orientation Programs
• Drug Free Safety Program
• Safety Evaluations

Case Management

Ascent Risk Management is dedicated to professionally provide prompt, aggressive and effective intervention to facilitate successful return to work outcomes. This is achieved through direct contact and collaboration with the employer, injured worker and physician.

We are a key element in controlling your workers’ compensation costs by providing an efficient, comprehensive and detailed vocational rehabilitative program that is individually designed and created for each injured worker and their employer. Through our services, we will increase the return to work probability, reduce lost time, decrease medical expenses and lower your risk.

Telephonic Case Management

Licensed nurses telephonically assess, plan, implement and coordinate all case management activities for the injured employee to evaluate the medical needs and facilitate the patient’s appropriate and timely return to work.

Field Case Management

Our credentialed, hands-on case managers offer an individual, consultative approach to ensure high quality medical care and comprehensive exchange of information between the injured worker, employer and medical providers.

Modified Duty Off-Site

Ascent's Modified Duty Off-site program provides options to employers who are unable to accommodate temporary light duty restrictions for their employees. Ascent partners with nonprofit organizations who have agreed to accept injured employees during their recovery process. This promotes healing and allows the employer to give back to the community.

Click here to Begin your MDOS Referral Now

The Nurse Triage Process 

Injury Occurs - The injury is reported to the employer and a workers’ comp claim is filed.

Nurse Intervention - The new claim is immediately escalated to a trained nurse case manager to expedite the processing of claim.

Clinical Evaluation - A thorough medical assessment is completed in alignment with the Official Disability Guidelines, and a recommended action plan is developed.

Four-Point Contact - Nurse facilitates communication with all involved parties to ensure accountability and efficient management of claim.

What is a Transitional Work Program?

A Transitional Work Program (TWP) is a comprehensive and progressive program that includes a written return-to-work policy and job analyses developed to assist employers in providing suitable accommodations for injured employees who have been released to work with restrictions following an injury.

Professional Employer Organizations provide services to client employers such as: employee benefits, human resources services, and payroll. By removing much of the business administrative burden, clients are able to focus on growing their core business while maintaining compliance and access to a robust pool of resources. 

Case Management

• National Case Management
• Modified Duty Off-Site
• Nurse Triage
• Transitional Work Programs
• Job Analysis

Aside from the employee and employer benefits that arise from implementing a Modified Duty Off-Site Program, nonprofits and communities across the country reap rewards as well. Ascent works with national as well as local nonprofits creating a robust network spanning across all fifty states which provides quality volunteers at no cost.

Our nonprofit partners understand the importance of light duty work as part of an injured workers' recovery process and the value it brings to their organization in serving their communities.

Single Point of Management

Ascent is committed to the unique approach of providing one experienced person with a very small caseload to manage all functions of claims from start to finish. This is the only way to strategically manage claims rather than just process paperwork.

Modified Duty Off-Site

Ascent's Modified Duty Off-Site services work in conjunction with the employer, injured worker, and a local non-profit agency to facilitate a speedy and safe gradual release so they can return to their original position.

Safety Evaluations

• Brief interview by our safety professionals with your safety or human resources team. We will examine your policies and procedures to see if they meet current standards.
• Full walk-through of the facility, looking for any compliance hazards. Any hazards will be pictured and pointed out with reference to the standard and methods of correction. We additionally look for positive action items, and those will also be documented.
• Question and answer session with the facility management team to identify areas of concern.
• Full report to show all action items, including negative and positive. This report will identify a clear path for your specific organization's safety team.

FMLA + Leave of Absence Management:

Understanding, let alone managing, Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) can be a full-time job for HR Professionals.

Administering a company’s leave program can put additional strain on already lean HR teams short on time and resources. FMLA management requires constant vigilance and communication to adhere to all the complex laws, responsibilities, and tracking.

Ascent acts as an extension of your risk department to relieve administrative burden, safeguard compliance, and ensure your employees receive their entitled benefits. We provide:

Single Point of Management

Small caseloads, clear communication, true partnership approach.

 ownership and accountability.

Documentation Management

            Paperwork and leave tracking from start to finish.

Custom Solutions

Nimble structure, client-centered, and flexible.

Sophisticated Technology

Paperless workflow, user-friendly portals, secured data.

Benefits of a Nurse Triage Program:

For the Employer

• Advocacy approach to injured worker improves morale & reduces litigation
• Recorded Statements

For the Employee

• Engaged in the recovery and return-to-work process

For the Physician

• More responsive clinician-to-clinician interaction
• Identifies return-to-work barriers

For the Account Executive

• Plan of action identifies strategy for claim
• Controls claim cost

Unemployment Insurance

The everchanging world of unemployment management can be difficult to navigate for employers. With short response windows, limited claim access, and unique state laws and
regulations; Ascent provides a tailored unemployment solution to remove the administrative burden and reduce costs.

Ascent handles the unemployment claims process from start to finish. We receive our clients’ unemployment claims nationally via electronic SIDES interface to eliminate the manual work and streamline the process.

How can Ascent Risk Management help?

We utilize experienced, accredited TWP developers to create a custom designed program to fit your specific business needs. In addition, we provide necessary training so your management staff know how to successfully implement the program during the recovery phase of an injury.

Ascent offers a wide range of safety services that focus on CULTURE as the most important component of making positive long term change. Ascent provides assistance in the following areas that are important to developing a culture where safety truly is the most important thing...

• Assessing the current environment
• Addressing any safety gaps in the program
• Developing policies and procedures for moving forward
• Training all leaders and employees on the policies and procedures 
• Provide leadership training on pro-active communication techniques 
• Ongoing conversation, measurements, and reporting 
• Leadership showing safety is truly most important by their own example

Through the course of working with clients on any aspects that require assistance, Ascent can provide staffing assistance, evaluations/inspections, GAP analysis, safety leadership training, compliance services, OSHA assistance, and customized training. 

If you would like a fresh perspective on how to take your safety program to the next level, please reach us at info@ascentrmg.com.

        Click Here to Staff Your Project

Field Case Management

Our credentialed, hands-on case managers offer an individual, consultative approach to ensure high quality medical care and comprehensive exchange of information between the injured worker, employer and medical providers.

Who Should Attend?

• Executive leadership
• Safety directors or risk managers. Especially those new to their role.
• Safety managers
• HR managers
• Safety committee members
• Branch managers

Safety Trainings

Active Shooter | Workplace Violence

Arc Flash | NFPA 70e

APR | First Aid | AED | Bloodborne Pathogens

Confined Space: Awareness, Non-Entry Rescue, Entry Rescue

Custom 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 Hour Course

Drug-Free Workplace: Supervisor + Employee

Ergonomics Training

Forklift and Rough Terrain Forklift Training

Personal Protective Equipment Training

Skid Steer Training

Fall Protection

Global Harmonized System Training (GHS)

Crystalline Silica Hexavalent Chromium Training

Hazmat Technician

EPA Lead Renovator (RRP) Initial + Refresher Safeland

Hazwoper 8, 24, + 40 hour refresher

Lead Awareness

Lockout | Tag-out

Mold Awareness

MSHA Training
     Part 46 New/Refresher +
     Part 48 Surface New/Refresher

OSHA 10 + 30 Hour Construction + General

Industry Crane Rigging + Signaling

Scaffold Training

Inspections and Trending Analysis

Our inspection process and trending analysis will help give your company an in-depth evaluation of opportunities to improve your workplace safety culture.  Our professionals examine your workers compensation claims history and identify trends in claims then provide recommendations for eliminating the gaps. We also perform a complete inspection of your facilities or a particular job insuring your safety standards are consistent throughout the company.

Our services include:

• Workers' Compensation Claims Trending Analysis
• Mock OSHA Inspection
• Project Safety Inspection
• Facility Safety Inspection
• Personal Protective Equipment Inspection
• Noise Testing
• Respirator Fit Testing

Official Disability Guidelines

Ascent utilizes the nationally recognized Official Disability Guidelines (ODG) to benchmark and identify unnecessary disability. We work as part of your team to deliver positive RTW outcomes.

Payroll & Tax Administration

• Optimized processes
• General ledger integration
• Easy employee self service
• Human resources on demand
• Powerful reporting and analytics

Safety Services

• Safety Staffing
• Compliance Services
• Inspection + Trending Analysis
• Custom Trainings
• Recruiting

What our nonprofit partners are saying:

“I wanted to thank you for choosing Sacred Heart as a placement site. [Employee] has done a wonderful job and we have benefited immensely from having her in the program. Thank you for your continued support of our Economic Empowerment Program!”

Roberto Gil, Director of Self-Sufficiency Programs

Sacred Heart Community Service

“Thank you so much for your work ethic and professionalism.  It has been an absolute pleasure working with you all and I wish nothing but the best for you.”

Larry Treadwell, Donated Goods Manager

Hartville Thrift Shoppe

“Thank you so much for continuing to send us more of  your clients. We look forward to continue the partnership with you and your program.”

Arely Valeriano, Employment Coordinator

Economic Empowerment Program

"Thank you for sending us excellent, hard working volunteers. We would not be able to survive as an organization without their help. Their jobs might seem small but it is at the heart of what makes us run. We are really grateful for Ascent giving us the opportunity to work with fantastic people.”

M Cohen, Volunteer Supervisor

T4T Foundation

Cost Containment

We utilize a variety of PBMs, Discount Networks, and State Specific Strategies to drive the success of our Cost Containment for clients.

The Ascent Advantage

Centralized System

Our user-friendly claims system provides a real-time dashboard, data trending, and up to date tax savings for full program transparency. Robust reporting and red flag detection make fraud protection and accuracy auditing simple.

Single Point of Management

Our single point of management model allows a true partnership approach with direct communication, accountability, and client customization. Each Account Executive manages claims from A to Z including hearing preparation, appeals, and manager coaching.

Tax Management

We review all annual tax rates for potential voluntary contribution, common rating and joint account analysis for savings opportunities and recommendations.

All benefit charges impacting unemployment rates are validated and audited for misapplied charges and fraud to ensure accuracy. 

Policy Review & Training

We tailor training for your team around documentation ‘best practices’, the unemployment process, and response strategy. Continued coaching, consultation, and feedback allows us to drive program results. A full policy review is completed during onboarding to develop a strong foundation.

Our Solution

·       Relieve the administrative burden with an experienced Account Manager who will act as single point of contact. This model allows us to provide ownership and accountability to your team.

·       State of the art software with real-time visibility into cases.

  o   Tracking, reporting, status updates, documentation

  o   Reports built and tailored to your specifications directly

  o   Red Flag Detection for requests outside of certification parameters, exhausted leaves, fraudulent claims, and issues identified immediately.

·         Reduce Liability

o   Legal Review of FMLA Policy

o   Ensure compliance with federal and state processes: we handle all paperwork- sending, receiving, reviewing + securely storing

o   Capture more FMLA eligible cases and apply FMLA to all applicable workers’ compensation claims.

·       Physician on staff if further clarification or information is needed for approval.

·       Case management from intake through full duty return, light duty, ADA accommodation, recertification, STD/LTD, etc.

Benefits

• Zero Overhead. No need to provide benefits, workers' compensation coverage or unemployment
• Custom Schedule
• "Rent to Own" option to retain the resource full time
• Ability to staff nationwide
• Reduced time spent on vetting resources and orientations
• Flexible Commitment. You determine how much time you need from your safety professionals, whether that is project based or a long-term arrangement.

Telephonic Case Management

Licensed nurses telephonically assess, plan, implement and coordinate all case management activities for the injured employee to evaluate the medical needs and facilitate the patient's appropriate and timely return to work.

Staffing

EM 385 Safety + Health Specialist

Hourly Safety Director

Hourly Safety Specialist

Safety Director Placement

Safety Specialist Placement

Placements

• Placements with thousands of Nationally Recognized Organizations
• 99% Successful Placements
• Timely Placements
  • 75% of placements secured in two business days
• 47: Average Number of Days Employees Are Placed at Nonprofit
• Ongoing case management services included in placement 

Features of a Transitional Work Program

• Analysis of the employees' job tasks
• Labor-management collaboration
• Return-to-work development
• Employer education
• Identification of community resources

Give us a call today at 513.602.1160 or schedule a demo here.

Not in the mood to chat? Contact us here for a quote.

Employee Benefits

• Competitive premiums
• Diverse coverage options
• Expert benefits administration
• Compliance advice
• A fully managed, customized 401(k) Plan

Unemployment Cost Control

• Claims Management
• Employment Verification
• Hearings
• Tax Analysis
• Savings Review

Holistic Approach

Ascent offers a strategy that encompasses both accident prevention and return to work tools from safety training and analysis to investigations and field case management. When problematic claims arise, our account executives are trained to utilize these services to minimize costs.

Additional Leave of Absence administration that Ascent provides:

• Short Term Disability
• Military Leave
• Bereavement
• Personal Medical Leave

Interested in finding out how your nonprofit could benefit from a partnership with Ascent? Email us at info@ascentrmg.com or contact us at 513.351.1222.

Tier Based Staffing Model:

Consulting

EM 385 Safety + Health Specialist

Hourly Safety Director

Hourly Safety Specialist

Safety Director Placement

Safety Specialist Placement

Savings Opportunities

• Reduce Indemnity Costs
• Reduce Medical Costs
• Reduce OSHA Recordable Lost Days
• Reduce Litigation

Human Resources and Recruiting

• Industry leading HR Technology
• Recruiting
• On-Demand HR Support
  • Job descriptions and other HR forms
  • Disciplinary procedures
  • Performance reviews
  • Employee retention strategies
  • Terminations
  • ADA, FMLA, EEO support
• Compliance

FMLA + Absence Management

• FMLA Administration
• Short Term Disability
• Military Leave
• Bereavement
• Personal Medical Leave

Advanced Technology

Between our real time online system and state of the art imaging system, we provide all the technology that you will ever need without being cumbersome. Our clients enjoy the ability to read claim notes, run reports, and view medical documents at any time.

Nurse Triage

The Nurse Triage process introduces medical expertise at the onset of claims. Triage identifies the severity of each claim and with a four point contact quickly outlines the recommended next steps.

To Schedule a Demo Click Here

Safety Packages

Customized Offerings

Workers Compensation

• Expert Claims Administration
• Safety
• Rapid Renewal
• Diverse Protection
• Self-Insured Options

Investigations

• Surveillance Services
• Background Investigations
• Social Media Checks
• Undercover Operations
• Video Job Descriptions

Give us a call today at 513.351.1222 or schedule a demo here.

Not in the mood to chat? Contact us here for a quote.

Customizable Service

There is no request too big or small for us to accommodate. Because of our model, we gain intimate awareness to our clients' challenges and modify our approach to get real results.

Transitional Work Program Development

Our vocational specialists can assist in creating a formal transitional work program for your organization, creating a custom written return-to-work policy and job analyses to assist employers and physicians in providing suitable accommodations for injured employees.

Workers’ Compensation

• Claims Management
• Risk Auditing Services
• Program Options
• Self-Insured Administration
• Cost Containment

— Jan Piotrowski, Midwest Employers Casualty