After an on-the-job injury, your goal is probably to return to work quickly and safely. However, the best way to heal is to follow your doctor’s instructions, especially regarding when it is safe to return to work.
When you meet all of the following requirements, you can safely return to your job.
Your doctor
Your doctor will want to know all the details about your place of employment, including whether they subscribe to workers’ compensation. You should also tell them about all of the tasks you do at your job, so they can decide whether or not you should return to work.
While healing, be sure to attend all of your doctor’s appointments. Take note of what you can and cannot do while healing. Follow any other instructions your doctor gives you.
Your employer
If there are still tasks at work that you can perform while recovering, talk to your employer about just doing these for your recovery period. Additionally, you should give your employer the name and contact information of your doctor so they know you are still receiving medical care. Then, follow the rules your employer has set about workplace injuries. Often, that includes keeping them up-to-date on your recovery and what tasks you can perform at work.
Your compensation
A lot of businesses do not subscribe to workers’ compensation. In these cases, you must take legal action to get the funds necessary to pay for your on-the-job injuries.
If your employer does not offer workers’ compensation, you should take action to get appropriate compensation. In this situation, you have the right to sue your employer for negligence.
