If you’ve been injured at work, you may be wondering if your employer can force you to return to work. The answer to this question may not always be black and white. In some cases, your employer may be able to require you to return to work before you are medically cleared. In other cases, they may not be able to do anything at all.
In this blog post, we will explore the different situations in which your employer can or cannot force you to return to work after an injury. We’ll also discuss your responsibilities in a workers compensation Sydney claim.
Before anything else, make sure to seek medical attention if you’ve been injured at work. Once you have seen a doctor and been given a diagnosis, you will need to notify your employer. Your employer will then have the option to provide you with light duty work or send you for further evaluation by a company-authorised physician.
If your employer does not offer you any alternative work options, they may be able to require you to return to your regular job duties. However, if your injury prevents you from performing your regular job duties, your employer cannot force you to return to work.
It is important to note that even if your employer can require you to return to work, they must still make accommodations for your injury. For example, if you are unable to lift heavy objects, your employer cannot require you to do so.
If you have any questions about whether or not your employer can force you to return to work, it is best to consult with an experienced workers’ compensation attorney. On that note, you should know your responsibilities in a workers’ compensation claim. Here are some of them:
- Notifying your employer of your injury as soon as possible – You must notify your employer of your injury within 30 days. Otherwise, there’s a chance you’ll lose your right to workers’ compensation benefits.
- Seeing a doctor – You must see a doctor within three days of your injury in order to be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits. Your employer may choose the doctor you see, but you do have the right to get a second opinion from another physician if you so choose.
- Filing a claim – You must file a claim in order to receive the benefits you deserve.
- Cooperating with your employer’s requests for information and documentation – Your employer has the right to request information and documentation about your injury from you. It is important that you cooperate with these requests in order to avoid any delays in receiving benefits.
- Attending any required meetings or hearings – If your employer or the workers’ compensation board in your area requests that you attend a meeting or hearing, you must do so. Failure to do so may result in a loss of benefits.
If you have been injured at work, it is important to know your rights and responsibilities under workers’ compensation law. If you have any questions about whether or not your employer can force you to return to work, consult with an experienced workers’ compensation attorney today.