Ethical Standards and Professional Conduct

Ethical behaviour is a requirement of effective and competent disability management practice. The Occupational Standards in Disability Management require that Certified Return to Work Coordinators and Certified Disability Management Professionals apply knowledge and skills in an ethical manner, recognize that there are ethical dilemmas inherent in their professional practice and utilize ethical decision-making to resolve these dilemmas. The major function of the standards is to protect individuals who are receiving disability management services, provide guidance to professionals who are confronted by ethical dilemmas, establish stakeholder and public trust and faith in the profession of disability management, and establish professional conduct between stakeholders and other professionals.

The standards of ethical practice* require the Certified Return to Work Coordinator and the Certified Disability Management Professional to do the following:

Respect the integrity, and promote and protect the welfare of individuals with whom they are working.
Maintain an objective and professional standard in their relationship with individuals with whom they work.
Assist workers with disabilities in developing individualized disability management or return-to-work plans that are consistent with the individual's ability and that have a reasonable probability of success.
Promote and protect the employability of the worker by identifying and communicating the individual's abilities and limitations and by developing plans that are consistent with the interests of the worker and employer.
Provide disability management services within the framework of a professional relationship.
Involve and invite contributions from all professionals, programs, agencies and referral sources involved with the worker with a disability to ensure that procedures and programs will provide maximum benefit to the worker.
Maintain their skills, competencies and professional development at a level to ensure that the individuals with whom they work benefit from the highest quality of service.
Promote and participate in efforts to expand the knowledge and resources needed to increase the effectiveness of services and programs for workers with disabilities.
Obey all laws and regulations and avoid activity or conduct that will cause unjust harm to others.
Demonstrate ethical and moral conduct in their profession and maintain and promote the integrity of the Ethical Standards and Professional Conduct.

* This compilation is a summary of the Ethical Standards and Professional Conduct contained in the Occupational Standards in Disability Management.