What if an Employer Can’t Accommodate a Doctor’s Work Restrictions in Georgia?
Accommodating work restrictions put in place by a doctor is important, as failure to do so could impact your Workers’ Compensation premiums in Georgia.
If an employer can’t accommodate a doctor’s work restrictions for a hurt employee, the employee may receive full Workers’ Compensation benefits in Georgia. This can lead to increased premiums or even policy cancellation if work restrictions last a considerable time. A worker might be unable to go back to their former responsibilities for weeks, months, or years, depending on their injuries. You can make an effort to accommodate a doctor’s work restrictions by providing transitional jobs to injured employees in Georgia.
To learn more about what our Georgia workers’ compensation insurance brokers for small businesses can do for you, call NPN Brokers today at (561) 990-3022.
What Happens if an Employer Can’t Accommodate Work Restrictions in Georgia?
Often, when employees are injured at work, they cannot return to the same level of responsibility for some time. A doctor’s advice regarding work restrictions determines whether or not an employee can go back to their previous job following an accident in Georgia.
Certain injuries, like broken bones or fractures, prevent injured workers from returning to their previous position. A doctor might determine that an employee can work in some capacity while adhering to work restrictions. For example, while a disabled employee may not be able to go back to an assembly line, they might be able to help with recording inventory or assist in other less physically demanding areas.
If an employer cannot accommodate a doctor’s work restrictions for a hurt employee, the injured employee will most likely get Workers’ Compensation wage-loss benefits until they are able to go back to their prior job in Georgia.
How Long Do Work Restrictions Typically Last in Georgia?
Depending on the injury in question, work restrictions can last for a considerable amount of time in Georgia. This can lengthen the time that injured employees get Workers’ Compensation benefits in Georgia.
Work restrictions only last for a few weeks or months for some injuries. For example, a sprain might only prevent an employee from returning to their previous position for several weeks. Other injuries take longer to heal, meaning work restrictions are in place for much longer. Broken bones, for example, might limit an employee’s abilities for many months in Georgia.
In some cases, work restrictions are in place for years, meaning an injured worker will likely get Workers’ Compensation benefits for years in Georgia. This could happen when a worker sustains a spinal cord injury or loses a limb in Georgia.
Accommodating Work Restrictions and Workers’ Compensation Premiums in Georgia
Accommodating work restrictions is important for employers in Georgia. If they don’t try to facilitate an injured employee’s return to work at some level, employers might face increased Workers’ Compensation policy premiums.
When Workers’ Compensation claims are paid out over a long period of time, a company’s insurance premiums could rise in Georgia. This typically happens when employees sustain serious injuries that inhibit them from working at the same level they once did for many years. Increased Workers’ Compensation insurance premiums can cause employers financial strain.
In some cases, failure to accommodate a doctor’s work restrictions can cause a carrier to drop an employer’s policy in Georgia. Multiple accounts of this might increase the likelihood that your insurer will cancel your policy. Should this happen, our Georgia Workers’ Compensation insurance brokers can find you a new policy quickly so that you don’t face penalties for a lapse in coverage. Paying Workers’ Compensation benefits to several employees for many years might make a carrier view your company as higher risk in Georgia.
How Can an Employer Handle Work Restrictions in Georgia?
If a worker was recently injured on the job in Georgia and a doctor gave them work restrictions, it is important for their employer to accommodate them. Before you do, you can investigate an accident to ensure the employee was actually hurt at work. If an employee was given work restrictions by a doctor not approved by your carrier, you can seek a second opinion. Finally, if work restrictions are valid and will last for any amount of time, you can offer transitional jobs to injured workers in Georgia.
Investigate an Accident
After any workplace accident in Georgia, it is important to perform an investigation. Employers can take the necessary steps to fact-check a worker’s story to make sure they qualify for Workers’ Compensation benefits. Suppose a worker intentionally caused their injuries or was not injured at work. In that case, any work restrictions from a doctor will be void as the employee’s Workers’ Compensation claim can be denied in Georgia.
Seek a Second Opinion
Employees who are hurt at work must see a medical professional approved by their employer’s Workers’ Compensation carrier. If an employee received work restrictions from a doctor that is not approved by your carrier, you can tell them to get a second opinion. Not seeking medical care from an approved doctor is a reason to deny a Workers’ Compensation claim in Georgia. If an approved doctor confirms work restrictions, you should accommodate them. If an approved doctor does not confirm work restrictions, then an employee can go likely back to their former position in Georgia.
Offer Transitional Jobs
If a hurt employee files a valid Workers’ Compensation claim in Georgia, you can reduce the wage-loss benefits paid to them by offering them a transitional job. This can allow an injured worker to work at a lower level, still earn an income, and be eligible for lesser Workers’ Compensation benefits in Georgia. Accommodating work restrictions by providing transitional jobs allows employers to reduce the impact Workers’ Compensation claims might have on their insurance premiums in Georgia.
Find Workers’ Comp Insurance in Georgia Today
Call our Georgia workers’ compensation insurance brokers for construction subcontractors today at (561) 990-3022 to get a quote from NPN Brokers.
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