Employee Injury or Illness

If you are injured or become ill on the job due to work-related activities, notify your supervisor immediately. 

Your supervisor will then complete and submit an Employer's First Report of Accidental Injury using the Online Accident Reporting System.  

Supervisors: The first page of the report must be submitted by the end of the injured employee's shift. The remaining pages are completed as part of the accident investigation and submitted within five working days of the accident date. For assistance in investigating an accident, you may contact REHS at 732-445-2550. 

Rutgers Health employees in Newark, New Brunswick, Stratford/Camden, or other sites in New Jersey must contact Risk Management in Newark at 973-972-6277 to report the injury or illness.  

Faculty, staff, and residents are encouraged to use Potential Error & Event Reporting System (PEERS), our electronic platform for reporting accidents, unanticipated events, and near-miss occurrences that might have resulted in injury or damage in the Robert Wood Johnson (RWJ) Medical School ambulatory care sites.  

By using PEERs, you help us identify circumstances in our health care system that may benefit from root cause analysis, problem solving, and the application of mechanisms to improve quality of care and patient safety. 

Full-time, full-benefits employees whom an authorized university physician (AUP) restricts from returning to work due to work-related injury or illness are entitled to up to 13 weeks of I-time per accident.  

Once employees exhaust the allotted I-time, the Rutgers Workers Compensation Administrator will pay them the statutorily required Temporary Total Disability (TTD) Salary Continuation Benefit based on the state average weekly wage.  

If the AUP clears the employee to return to work on alternate duty and the department can accommodate the employee’s restrictions, the employee must return to work, or the days missed will be charged to their vacation time. If the employee does not have available vacation time available, they will be put on a leave of absence without pay. 

All treatment of work-related injuries must be provided by a university-authorized physician. If treatment is required, take the appropriate action below, based on your campus: 

New Brunswick/Piscataway campuses - Supervisor or employee must contact the Occupational Health Department in New Brunswick at 848-932-8254. 

Camden or Newark campuses - Supervisor or employee must contact the Occupational Health Department at 848-932-8254. Camden employees may also contact the Student Health Center in Camden at 856-225-6005. 

For all other Rutgers off-campus facilities - Supervisor or employee must contact the Occupational Health Department at 848-932-8254. 

Health campus at Newark - Supervisor or employee must contact Risk Management in Newark at 973-972-6277. 

Health campus at New Brunswick/Piscataway - Supervisor or employee must contact Risk Management in Newark at 973-972-6277. 

For all other Health off-campus facilities, clinics, or university correctional health care - Supervisor or employee must contact Risk Management in Newark at 973-972-6277. 

Contact the Occupational Health Department at 848-932-8254 regarding any serious or life-threatening work-related injuries and illnesses. If Occupational Health or Risk Management in Newark are closed, the employee must go to the nearest hospital emergency room and contact the Occupational Health Department or Risk Management the next business day for further treatment. 

Employees with non-work-related injuries or illnesses must see a personal physician for treatment. 

For a serious injury or illness:

• Do not delay treatment. Go immediately to the nearest emergency department .
• If you need an ambulance or emergency assistance call RUPD at 911 after obtaining an outside line if using a campus phone.
• Whenever possible notify your supervisor immediately but don’t delay emergency treatment.
• You must contact Occupational Health the morning of the next business day with all information provided to you in the emergency room as well as any medications prescribed.

For all other injuries or illnesses:

• Notify your supervisor immediately.
• Your supervisor should complete an online Accident Reporting Form in the REHS Accident Reporting Database and then contact Rutgers Occupational Health at 848-932-8254.
• If you feel you must be seen immediately, you should call Occupational Health first (848-932-8254).  Due to COVID-19, Occupational Health is currently requiring all persons to call their office prior to entering their office.
• We try to see new injuries immediately and to schedule other appointments at a time convenient for you.
• If Occupational Health is closed and you require urgent treatment go to the nearest emergency room. You must contact Occupational Health the morning of the next business day.

For a serious or life threatening injury or illness:

• For serious or life threatening illnesses or injuries don’t delay treatment. Send employee immediately to the nearest emergency department.
• If you need an ambulance or emergency assistance call RUPD at 911 after obtaining an outside line if using a campus phone.
• Contact Occupational Health at 848-932-8254 and advise us of the employee’s injury and transfer to an emergency room.
• Complete the online Accident Reporting Form in the REHS Accident Reporting Database by the end of the shift.
• Have employee contact our department after the emergency visit or on the next business morning regardless of information given by the emergency department.

For all other injuries or illnesses:

• Complete the online Accident Reporting Form in the REHS Accident Reporting Database describing injury/accident on the date reported
• Contact Occupational Health 848-932-8254 immediately.
• If the employee feels he/she needs to be seen immediately call Occupational Health first (848-932-8254) and you will be given further direction. Please do not send any employee to our office without speaking to our office first.
• After each Occupational Health visit, employees will be given a Work Ability Form which they are is instructed to provide to their supervisors immediately. They will also be given follow up information as needed.
• If Occupational Health is closed and you require treatment go to the nearest emergency room. You must contact Occupational Health the morning of the next business day with all information provided to you in the emergency room and any medications prescribed.

• Physical Therapy (PT) is available for work related injuries by referral only.
• Employees must be referred by an Occupational Health clinician or consultant.
• Occupational Health staff will schedule the inital PT appointment for you. All remaining appointments may be scheduled by the employee according to Risk Management Policy for Faculty and Staff Section 40.3.1.

Prescriptions related to work place injuries and illnesses are conveniently filled by most pharmacies. For more information please call 848-932-8254.