Is my employer allowed to assign me light-duty tasks?
Answer
Light duty is not something you are automatically required to accept, but it can sometimes benefit both sides if it is handled through a process in the Workers’ Compensation Act known as Suitable Alternative Employment. This is different from traditional light duty, though the two are often confused. If you are returning to your employer in a different role than the one you held at the time of your injury, you want to make sure you’re protected, and the Suitable Alternative Employment provisions of the Act offer protections you would not have if you simply returned to basic light-duty work. Sometimes an employer may say, “We don’t have any light-duty employment for you,” in which case you do not go back. Other times, the employer may insist that you return to light duty, but depending on the circumstances, you are not legally obligated to do so and may remain out on workers’ comp until you are capable of full-duty work. For guidance on how these situations impact your benefits, you may want to consult our workcover compensation lawyers, and you can also explore our RI workers’ comp benefits for broader return-to-work rules. You may also find it helpful to understand related issues like refusing light-duty work or physically demanding job limitations.
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