Returning to work after an extended period of absence because of a workplace related injury or illness can be stressful. Analysis suggests that the longer you are away from your job, the harder it is to return. However, most employees are still keen to go back to work when they are ready and earn their normal wage. Workers’ comp. is a useful temporary stop gap but it does not pay full wages. Your doctor should be the key individual who lets you know when you can return to work and whether you should do this with or without restrictions. You will only know whether you can cope with whatever your employer offers you when you actually go back to work. What is Meant by Light Duty? Light duty is any kind of work that your employer can offer which is within the recommendations or restrictions advised by your doctor. Usually, it means less strenuous work than you might normally have done or more sitting down, less heavy lifting and so on. Not all employers are able to offer light duty. In this case, you may have to wait at home until fully recovered so that you can return to your old job. Light duty work may not be as useful to your employer and you will probably find that you are not paid as much as before. You may find that your employer takes you on part time if full time light work cannot be offered. Your workers’ compensation agreement may top up your lower pay with temporary disability benefits while you are on light duty. What If I am Put On Light Duty But I am Still Having Trouble Doing My Job? It is quite possible that even if your employer provides light duty work that you still have trouble doing your job. There are several reasons for this. It may be because your employer has disregarded the restrictions advised by your doctor. If this is the case, you need to politely point out the recommendations given by your doctor and tell your employer that you are suffering as a result. It might also be that your doctor has misjudged your health or recovery status and has recommended that you return to work on light duty when you are not yet really fit enough to do so. In this case, you should go back to your doctor and let him or her know that you don’t feel up to doing the work you have been given and ask for more accurate guidelines for your employer. This is more likely to happen if you have been referred to a doctor linked to your employer’s insurer. How a WC Attorney Can Help If you have no success in convincing your employer or your doctor that you cannot cope with the light duty work you have been given, your next best step is to contact a workers’ compensation attorney. The attorney will have come across this situation many times before and will be able to suggest a way forward depending on your legal options. Additional Resources What If I Can Do Light Work but My Employer Doesn't Have Any? Are There Different Types Of Light Duty Work I Can Do?
