What is suitable work?
Suitable work must:
- be within the worker's functional abilities;
- be safe and not put the worker or co-workers at risk, or hinder recovery;
- restore pre-injury earnings, where possible; and
- be meaningful and promote the worker's recovery. This means that the work should serve a purpose or valuable function to the organization. Is it something that the employer would pay someone to perform?
Suitable work may involve changes to:
- Job tasks or duties – includes alternate duties that are not normally performed by the worker, differing methods to complete job duties, organizing the job tasks, etc.
- Workload – hours of work or work schedule.
- Equipment – modified equipment or new equipment purchased to assist in the completion of job duties.
- Environment – includes the work area and may include set-up, lighting, climate, etc.
If the pay or hours of work of your modified duties are different to pre-injury, talk with the case manager about payments. WSCC will pay compensation for the hours that the worker does not work, or the difference in pay for a temporary return to work plan.
How do I identify suitable modified work?
When identifying suitable modified work, always start with the worker's original job position and ask the following questions:
If you need assistance in identifying suitable modified work, please contact the WSCC.
