In certain cases a work-related injury can be very serious and demand that the injured worker takes time off from work, though sometimes the injuries do not impact a worker’s job performance.
A worker could suffer a foot injury while at work, but their job performance dictates that they use their hands and intellect.
Should I Take Time Off For Work Injury in Pasadena TX?
In this event, most injured employees who have ended up with a work-related injury or sickness that does not impact their job performance tend to wonder if they really need to file a workers’ compensation claim, and take time off from work.
Sometimes injured employees will not seek workers’ compensation because they believe there is no point, or think that they do not have a qualifying injury since their injury doesn’t directly affect their ability to work.
Instead of filing a workers’ comp claim, these injured employees will just seek medical help through their health insurance provider.
These employees need to understand that even if they do not need to take time off of work, they can still have the opportunity to seek workers’ compensation benefits if they are eligible.
Getting Injured Workers Back To Work In Texas
Texas is a big believer in encouraging injured employees to continue to be employed in some way as they get better from their work-related injuries.
The state of Texas strongly advocates for employers to implement the Return to Work Program for injured workers.
Return to Work Programs are used to offer recovering injured employees alternative work assignments, or “light duty” options with a reduced compensation, while they are recovering from their work-related injury.
While a worker is recovering from their work-related injury or sickness, there are many reasons why the worker should stay engaged in their job.
- Ensuring that injured workers are back into the workforce as quickly as possible
- Makes sure that the injured worker is engaged in their job
- Upholds worker morale
- Provides the injured employees with wages
- Reduces the quantity of social benefits (welfare, disability benefits, etc.) that the injured employee may need to make use of during recovery; and
- Ensures that the injured worker has taxable income.
Getting Medical Benefits Through Workers’ Compensation
If an injured employee is capable of continuing their job despite a work-related injury or ailment, the employee may not specifically need any kind of income benefits through workers’ comp since the worker is still capable to do their job, or at least an alternative work assignment for wages.
Though even if a work-related injury or ailment does not have the worker take time off from their workplace, that doesn’t mean to say that locating medical treatment for the injury hasn’t costed the injured employee money.
An injured employee who doesn’t have to take time off of work can still look for workers’ compensation medical benefits to help pay for medical expenses.
However, an injured worker that does not need to preserve their income, does not need to apply for income benefits, this way injured workers who truly need income benefits will be able to apply through the Texas workers’ compensation system.
An injured worker in Texas, should only take the appropriate time off from their work to ensure that they have received medical attention and recovered well for their work-related injury or ailment.
Taking off more time from work than the employee needs to recover, could risk the employee being terminated or ending up with their workers’ compensation claim denied.
Injured Workers Should Discuss Their Options With Their Employers
People usually don’t want to be away from their job, due to the fact that they feel helpless and useless if they’re not there.
In some instances, a worker will be injured on the job, but in a way that doesn’t hinder their work too much, if so, they should discuss this situation with their employer.
Sometimes all it takes is a conversation between the employee and the employer that will make the employer find ways that the injured employee could still perform their job while recovering.
Sometimes the employer is able to find alternatives or “light duty” options for the injured worker to do, while the worker is recovering, this way the worker is still engaged with their job and earning an income.
Sometimes, in order for the worker to perform alternative work assignment, the employer will require clearing from a designated doctor to ensure the safety of the individual.
As long as the doctor approves the worker of being able to handle an alternative assignment with safety in mind, then the injured worker can go back to work to carry out their job during their recovery.
The injured worker’s condition should be periodically monitored to make sure that the worker’s condition doesn’t get worse and still allows them to perform work.
Workers’ Compensation Claim vs. Third-Party Liability in Pasadena
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