Recovering at home from a work-related injury will require patience, especially if you feel eager to return to your job. Despite your desire to work again, you might have concerns about dealing with your injury and continued recovery while working.
Assessing an appropriate time to return to work will require the input of your health care provider and your employer.
Physical capability
A severe physical injury could debilitate you and prevent you from safely and effectively doing your job. Returning to work before you reach a certain point in your recovery could jeopardize your safety and put you at risk of developing more serious health repercussions.
Speak with your doctor about your desire to work. Keep your employer informed and ask them about how returning to work will impact your workers’ compensation benefits. You could also ask about a return-to-work plan and whether your employer aids with putting something like that together. According to the State of California, Department of Public Relations, the law requires that your employer allows for modified responsibilities during your injury recovery.
Mental stability
Even though you may feel physically ready to start working again, take note of your mental state. Seeing the place where your accident happened or having people ask you questions about your condition might trigger strong emotions. These feelings may distract you and interfere with your focus and productivity.
Taking your time and giving yourself space to recover will make a critical difference in how successful your return to work is. In the meantime, you can rely on your workers’ compensation benefits to support you while you focus on healing and regaining strength.