After being injured at work, you will want to begin your path toward recovery, so you can resume your job duties. Of course, no matter how eager you or your employer are for you to return to your job, it is critical not to do this before you are physically able to or you will only make your injuries worse. As such, there are some things you need to consider and think of before you begin to plan for your return to work.
Why Are You Going Back?
One of the first things you might want to consider before you go back to work are the reasons why you are going back and if you really want to return to this job. For example, if your injury was work-related, you might need to decide if the position you were in is too much of a risk. Returning to work is generally a financially sound decision, assuming your doctor believes you are well enough to do so. After all workers’ compensation pay is not the same as your regular pay and you obviously cannot earn any promotions or raises in your absence. Going back to work can also boost your confidence by allowing you to slowly get back to a more active lifestyle.
Try to Stay in Touch
If you know early on that you will eventually want to return to your job when you are recovered enough to do so, make it a priority to stay in touch with your manager and be sure to regularly touch base with them. Your boss will also likely try to maintain contact with you to provide support and keep up with the progress of your recovery, and have a good idea of when you will be able to come back to work and if you will be capable of performing all of your past duties.
Before you go back to work, however, make sure that you notify the Workers’ Compensation Board to let them know you are returning to work. Your attorney can do this on your behalf as well.
Making Reasonable Accommodations
In many cases, workers are unable to resume the same duties they once performed immediately upon returning to work. This is something employers tend to take into account. As such, your employer might have likely developed some temporary responsibilities for you until you are fully recovered and able to perform all of your duties without harming yourself. These temporary changes in job duties are often referred to as reasonable accommodations and can include anything from lighter workloads and adjuster hours to allowing an employee to work from home.
Compensation
You could potentially continue to receive workers’ compensation benefits even after you go back to work if your pay was lowered because of a partial disability you now suffer. To continue to receive these benefits, you will need to prove that you are partially disabled and that it was the cause of your reduction in pay.
Workers’ Compensation Attorney in Sacramento
If you sustained injuries or developed a condition as a result of performing your job duties, you could be eligible for crucial workers’ compensation benefits. At Smolich and Smolich, our team of Sacramento workers’ compensation attorneys are dedicated to guiding injured workers through the claims process and will assist you no matter what stage of the process you are currently in.
For skilled and knowledgeable legal representation, call us today at (916) 571-0400 to schedule your free consultation.