“Light duty” sounds harmless. In a workers’ comp claim it’s a strategic moment that can either protect your benefits or end them — depending on how you handle it.
How restrictions work
When an authorized doctor says you can work but with limits — no lifting over 15 pounds, no ladders, sit/stand as needed — those are your work restrictions. Your employer can offer a job within them. What happens next depends on three things: whether the offer is real, whether it fits the restrictions, and what you do about it.
The benefit trap
- A valid light-duty offer you refuse can suspend your wage-replacement checks. The insurer loves this outcome and will document the offer carefully.
- A light-duty job that doesn’t actually fit your restrictions — they put you back at the same physical work and call it “light” — is a different story, but you have to flag it correctly, not just walk off.
- No suitable work available generally means your benefits should continue.
Protect yourself
- Get your restrictions in writing from the authorized doctor.
- Get any light-duty offer in writing, with the actual job duties.
- If the “light-duty” work exceeds your restrictions, report it immediately and in writing — don’t just tough it out or quit.
- Don’t refuse anything before understanding the benefit consequences.
The gap between “I refused unsafe work” and “I refused suitable work” is the gap between keeping and losing your checks — and it often comes down to documentation. If you’ve been handed a light-duty offer, get a free evaluation before you respond. Related: what to do after a work injury.
Quick answers
Can I refuse a light-duty job offer in workers' comp? +
You can, but it's risky. If an authorized doctor approves the light-duty work and the job fits your restrictions, refusing it can suspend your wage-replacement benefits. If the job does NOT actually fit your restrictions, that's a different situation — document everything and get advice before refusing.
What if my employer doesn't have light-duty work? +
If your doctor restricts you and the employer has no work within those restrictions, you may be entitled to continued wage-replacement benefits. The dispute usually turns on whether suitable work was genuinely offered.
