A program connecting injured workers with nonprofit organizations to help them ease back to work while supporting local causes has passed 50,000 in volunteer hours.

Pinnacol Assurance, a workers’ compensation insurer in Colorado, launched the program to offer injured workers light duty options while supporting local causes. Since Pinnacol launched the program three years ago, more than 170 injured workers have provided a total of 50,000 hours at 40 locations.

“This program highlights the power of Pinnacol’s partnerships and civic engagement in Colorado and enables our policyholders to also support their communities by encouraging their employees to volunteer while they heal and paying them wages,” said Nevine Laughlin, director of the Pinnacol return-to-work program.

Pinnacol partners with nonprofits that offer injured workers modified-duty assignments approved by medical providers. Workers take on a variety of tasks, including answering telephones, assembling boxes of food and sorting donations. Workers are paid wages.

Pinnacol provides workers’ compensation insurance coverage to nearly 1 million workers in Colorado. For more information, visit the website at www.pinnacol.com.