Return to Work

Returning to Work After Filing a Workers' Comp Claim

When an employee of a business is injured on the job, the individual may seek workers' compensation benefits to cover costs associated with medical bills, lost wages and other relevant expenses. When all or most injuries are healed and the employee is deemed fit to return to work, many issues can arise that may prevent a seamless re-entry. To encourage a smooth transition back into the workforce, it may help to have the assistance of a leading Minnesota workers' comp attorney with Heimerl & Lammers.

While employee rights in Minnesota State law may not expressly forbid an employer from terminating an employee upon the readiness to return to work, there are a number of requirements that must be met by an employer to avoid issues like retaliatory discrimination that may stem from the initial workers' compensation claim. An employer may opt to reassign a formerly-injured employee to light duty, for example, to allow the individual to transition more comfortably into their previous position. In truth, however, Minnesota employers are legally required to do very little in terms of making sure an injured employee can retain a position within the company, as employees have few stated rights in these cases. However, in many scenarios, opting to reinstate an employee may have its own benefits concerning cost to the employer, and this may be the right way to go for cost-conscious businesses that prefer not to train new employees or pay costly wage loss replacement benefits.

Helping Injured Employees Return to Work in Minnesota

There are a great many reasons why an employer may make the decision not to reinstate an injured employee, and Heimerl & Lammers has worked in the Minnesota area for many years to help clients make sure that they are not being discriminated against because of a previous claim. Our firm is very familiar with return to work issues in Minnesota, and we will work hard to identify any unethical indicators of retaliatory discrimination or any other ill-mannered motivations. We are dedicated to the needs of our clients, and our hard work may result in full reinstatement at your place of employment, or legal action in matters of discrimination.

Contact a Minnesota workers' comp lawyer if you are unable to return to work upon completion of your benefits.