Can My Employer Make Me to Do More than My Medical Restrictions?

Can My Employer Make Me to Do More than My Medical Restrictions?

If you have suffered a job-related injury and your authorized treating physician has placed you on work restrictions, your employer cannot require you to work outside those restrictions. Under Alabama workers’ compensation law, medical restrictions are not suggestions—they are part of your prescribed medical treatment.

Once restrictions are issued, your employer generally has two options. The employer may:

1. Provide work that fully complies with the restrictions, or
2. Decline to offer work, in which case you may be entitled to temporary total disability (TTD) benefits while you remain unable to work within your limitations.

Problems arise when your boss insists that an injured worker report to work and perform duties that exceed the doctor’s restrictions. This puts the worker in a difficult position—caught between following medical advice and protecting their job.

In these situations, the first step should always be to remain polite and professional. Misunderstandings do happen. Employers may not fully understand the scope of the restrictions or how prescribed medication affects alertness, balance, or reaction time. Clear communication can sometimes resolve the issue.

Injured workers should always obtain a written copy of their work restrictions from the treating physician. It is a good practice to keep copies for your own records and provide one directly to your employer. If there is confusion about what the restrictions mean, the employer can contact the doctor for clarification rather than asking the worker to exceed them.

It is important not to ignore or violate medical restrictions. Doing so can place your health at risk, delay recovery, or worsen the injury. In addition, working outside restrictions can complicate a workers’ compensation claim if the employer later argues that the worker was capable of performing unrestricted work.

If an employer continues to demand work outside your restrictions, the issue should be documented and addressed promptly. Workers’ compensation benefits are designed to protect injured employees during recovery, not to force them into unsafe work conditions.

Medical restrictions exist for a reason. Understanding your rights—and insisting that restrictions are respected—can help protect both your health and your workers’ compensation benefits.

If you have suffered a job injury and you have questions about your rights and benefits under Alabama’s workers compensation laws -don’t hesitate to contact and speak with one of the experienced Alabama Workers Compensation and Social Security Disability attorneys at Powell and Denny today for a free consultation. Appointments are available in person, or virtually via Zoom if more convenient.  Powell and Denny would appreciate the opportunity to help.  And remember, there is no fee unless you win.

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Can My Employer Make Me to Do More than My Medical Restrictions