Contact: Dr. Tony Burton of Workability in Michigan/60 Summits Project, +1-734-645-2262, Fax: +1-616-285-0543, Anthony.burton@gm.com

Keeping Michigan Workers Working!

LANSING, Mich., April 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- May 1, 2009, 7 am to 5 pm, WORKABILITY IN MICHIGAN will hold a summit involving 120 of Michigan's key stakeholders in disability benefits and workers' compensation systems.

Workability in Michigan, http://www.workabilityim.org, is a group of volunteers from a variety of professions and organizations who are passionate about promoting safer, healthier working lifestyles and preserving the employability of Michigan's workforce while at the same time protecting the productivity and profitability of Michigan's employers.

The decision to hold this landmark event was made after learning about the national "60 Summits Project," http://www.60summits.org, This initiative by Dr. Jennifer Christian is intended to foster a new work disability management paradigm. Its foundation is embodied in a guideline issued by the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) entitled "Preventing Needless Work Disability by Helping People Stay Employed.


The invited participants include treating physicians, as well as an array of other medical providers, employers, insurance companies, organized labor, Michigan Workers' Compensation Agency staff, attorneys and managed care organizations. The focus of the Summit is to raise awareness of the new ACOEM guidelines and to provide workshops where stakeholders collaborate to make the Stay at Work/Return to Work (SAW/RTW) process function effectively in the state of Michigan. Stakeholders will develop strategies and plans to reduce unnecessary workplace and job loss due to illness or injury in the workers' compensation system as well as other disability benefits systems (short- and long-term disability or Social Security Disability).

The May 1 event will inspire and focus a consortium of people who will take the next steps to actualize the consensus agreements, preliminary plans, and commitments that were made in the initial summit.

Anyone interested in getting actively involved is encouraged to visit http://www.workabilityim.org and click on contact us. For additional information about Workability in Michigan or 60 Summits, contact Diana Cline Diana.Cline@60summits.org SOURCE Workability in Michigan