A worker who suffers an injury at work may not be able to return to work immediately. While some may appreciate the time off, they may also look forward to the day they can return. It may come as a shock to learn that there’s a battle between their employer and the workers’ compensation carrier about when the worker can return to work.
Some people who are returning to work are told by their doctor that they can only perform light duty. This can trigger the tug-of-war between the employer and the insurer. While it might seem baffling, there’s a reason for this.
Your pay is the issue
When you’re off work, the workers’ compensation carrier has to pay your partial wage replacement benefit. If you return to work, your employer has to pay you what you earn. The insurer is looking to minimize its expenses, but your employer doesn’t want to pay full wages for partial performance. It all comes down to money.
The maximum workers’ compensation weekly benefit is $800.00, as of 2026. This means that if you earned $1,200 or more per week, you will receive that benefit from the insurance company.
At the maximum, the insurer is out $8,000 every 10 weeks for your payment. If you return to work and work full-time on light duty, your employer will pay $12,000 in those same 10 weeks. As you can see, it’s likely in your best interest to return to work on light duty; however, you have to think about more than just the finances.
It’s critical that you don’t return to work in any manner until your doctor is confident that it’s safe for you to do so. Trying to return to work before you’re ready can lead to more harm if your injury is aggravated while you work. If a worker’s compensation representative tries to push you back to work before your doctor believes you’re truly ready, it may be beneficial to have someone on your side who can fight this battle.