Experiences of decision makers in the workers' compensation system: Impact of gender on return to work decisions.

A literature review on gender and compensable return to work revealed a lack of information specific to whether the gender of an injured worker has an impact on decision makers within a compensation system. This phenomenological study was undertaken to examine the phenomenon of gender and the lived experiences of the decision makers in the compensation system. The purpose of the study was to gain an understanding of how the gender of an injured worker influences the decision makers' return to work decisions. Findings from the data analysis revealed that the phenomenon of gender does have an influence on the decision makers in the compensation system and their return to work decisions. The five major themes emerging from the data include: understanding the decision maker, role of the injured worker, communication, case management, and law and policy. There are several sub-themes subsumed within each of the major themes.