Return to Work

If a work injury means you cannot go back to the job you had, California workers’ compensation may help you transition to new work. When your employer cannot offer suitable work within your restrictions, the system provides benefits designed to help you retrain or move into a new occupation rather than leaving you without options.

These benefits are valuable, time-limited, and easy to lose track of, so it pays to know what you are entitled to.

When Return-to-Work Benefits Apply

When an injured worker reaches maximum medical improvement with lasting restrictions, the question becomes whether they can return to their old position. Sometimes an employer offers modified or alternative work that fits the restrictions. When no suitable work is offered, California provides benefits designed to help the worker retrain or find a new occupation, rather than leaving them stranded.

The Supplemental Job Displacement Benefit

The main tool is the supplemental job displacement benefit, a voucher worth up to $6,000 that can be used for retraining, skill enhancement, licensing fees, and related expenses at approved schools and providers. Workers with a qualifying injury may also apply to a separate state-run return-to-work supplement program for an additional payment when their permanent disability benefits are low compared to their actual earnings loss.

These benefits are easy to lose track of. Deadlines apply, and an employer’s offer of suitable modified or alternative work can affect whether you receive the voucher at all. Injured workers frequently do not realize the benefit exists or let it expire unused.

Situations where these benefits matter include:

  • No modified or alternative work is offered after your injury
  • The work offered does not fit your medical restrictions
  • Your injury forces a change of occupation
  • Your earning capacity dropped because of the injury

Don’t Leave Benefits Unclaimed

California workers’ compensation attorneys are paid only if you recover, with nothing upfront. If a work injury is keeping you from your old job, an attorney can make sure you receive every displacement benefit you are entitled to.

 

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