Depending on your line of work, you may be able to transition to a different role for a short or extended period of time if you suffer an on the job injury. Some people like that their company is flexible (and that the paychecks won’t stop) after a work injury, while others hate transitioning to a more sedentary job due to a debilitating injury.
Because not everyone loves the light duty option, we often get asked if a worker has to accept a light duty role if the company offers it after a work injury. It’s a good question, and there’s more that goes into it than a simple yes or no answer. We dive deeper into light duty requirements after a Minnesota work injury in this blog.
Accepting Light Duty After A Work Injury
Workers’ compensation is a system that provides a supplemental source of income that will allow a person to meet the financial demands of their life in the event of a work injury. However, the ultimate goal of the system is to provide you assistance while you focus on recovering and returning to work. The system is designed to get you back to work, and if light duty work or a different role is being offered by your company, you are expected to take that opportunity. In other words, you are required to accept light duty in Minnesota if it is offered by your employer after a work injury.
The only real exception to this rule is if your doctor does not give you clearance to perform the tasks that come with a light duty assignment. If your doctor says you shouldn’t lift more than 25 pounds for two weeks or stand for more than an hour, and you job offers you a role that accommodates for these restrictions, you would have to accept the offer. Failing to do so is seen as a “refusing an offer of gainful employment,” which would make you ineligible for total temporary disability benefits.
You Can Still Earn Benefits On Light Duty
With all that said, it’s important to note that you may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits even if you’ve been transitioned to a light duty role for a period of time. If there has been any changes in the normal hours of work you perform, or the amount of pay you receive, then you can file for compensation on the grounds that the work injury has led to a decrease in income.
A couple of quick examples. Let’s say you’re a mechanic making $25 an hour. A work injury causes you to accept a light duty role for a couple weeks processing paperwork, and your boss says it will come with a temporary pay cut since you aren’t performing your normal duties. You can file for wage loss benefits to help offset the temporary decrease in pay.
Similarly, let’s say you’re only given 25 hours of light duty work instead of your normal 40 hours when healthy. You can again file for wage loss benefits since your work injury has negatively affected your total income in terms of lost hours. The same holds true if you get 40 hours a week on light duty, but you normally work some overtime each pay period when healthy.
Getting Compensation
If you’ve been transitioned to light duty and your income has decreased due to the injury, you are entitled to benefits. The easiest way to earn that compensation is by hiring a workers’ compensation firm. They’ll be able to look at your case and handle all the details while you focus on getting better. They can also point you towards a reliable doctor who can provide you with a comprehensive medical diagnosis to ensure your restrictions are properly set. For more information on how we do all this, contact Hey Workers today.
