You were injured at work. Your workers' compensation doctor says you can return—but not to your regular job.

Maybe you cannot lift more than 10 or 20 pounds. Maybe you cannot stand for an entire shift, climb ladders, bend repeatedly, operate certain equipment or work your normal number of hours.

Then your employer tells you:

“We don't have light duty for you.”

What happens now?

For injured workers in New Jersey, this can create immediate concerns about lost wages, temporary disability benefits and whether they are required to return to work despite their medical restrictions.

The answer depends on the worker's medical status and the specific circumstances, but an employer's inability to accommodate work restrictions does not automatically mean an injured employee should simply return to unrestricted work or go without workers' compensation benefits.

New Jersey specifically addresses circumstances involving an injured employee who is capable of light-duty work but whose employer does not provide suitable work.

If you were injured on the job and your employer says it cannot accommodate your restrictions, a New Jersey workers' compensation lawyer can review your medical status, temporary disability benefits and available options. Contact Khorozian Law Group at (201) 944-9200 for a free consultation. There is no fee unless we recover compensation for you. Hablamos español.

What Are Work Restrictions After a Workplace Injury?

Work restrictions are medical limitations placed on an injured employee because of the employee's condition.

Instead of keeping the employee completely out of work, an authorized workers' compensation doctor may determine that the employee can perform some work, provided certain activities are avoided or limited.

Common work restrictions may include:

• No lifting over a specified weight;
• No repetitive bending or twisting;
• Limited standing or walking;
• No climbing;
• No overhead lifting;
• No pushing or pulling above a certain weight;
• No operation of particular machinery;
• Sedentary work only;
• Reduced working hours; or
• Other restrictions related to the specific injury.

These restrictions can be particularly important for employees with physically demanding jobs, including construction workers, warehouse employees, delivery drivers, healthcare workers, maintenance workers and employees who regularly lift or carry heavy objects.

The restrictions should come from the treating medical provider—not simply from what the employee or employer believes the worker can safely perform.

What Is Light Duty in a New Jersey Workers' Compensation Case?

“Light duty” generally refers to work that an injured employee can perform while complying with medical restrictions.

That does not necessarily mean sitting behind a desk.

The appropriate duties depend upon both the employee's normal occupation and the restrictions imposed by the authorized doctor.

For example, a warehouse employee who normally loads pallets may temporarily be restricted from heavy lifting. A construction employee may be prohibited from climbing or carrying heavy materials. A delivery employee may have restrictions affecting driving, lifting or loading.

The important question is whether the work actually being offered is consistent with the doctor's restrictions.

An employee should therefore understand exactly what the authorized doctor has permitted and prohibited before returning to work.

What If My Employer Says There Is No Light Duty Available?

This is where New Jersey workers' compensation law becomes particularly important.

New Jersey workers' compensation authorities have recognized that temporary disability payments can continue when an employee cannot return to the regular job, even though the employee may be capable of performing light-duty work, when appropriate light-duty work is not offered.

The New Jersey Division of Workers' Compensation's compilation of appellate decisions explains that when an injured employee remains under active medical treatment and is capable of light-duty work, the employer must offer appropriate light-duty work or continue temporary disability benefits.

That distinction matters.

Being medically capable of some work is not necessarily the same as being capable of returning to your regular job without restrictions.

If your doctor restricts you to light duty and your employer says no suitable position exists, the situation should be carefully documented and evaluated.

Can I Receive Temporary Disability If My Employer Cannot Accommodate My Restrictions?

Depending on the circumstances, yes.

The New Jersey Division of Workers' Compensation states that an injured employee who is disabled for more than seven days may qualify for temporary total disability benefits.

Temporary disability benefits are generally paid at 70% of the worker's average weekly wage, subject to the statutory minimum and maximum applicable to the year of the accident.

For injuries occurring in 2026, New Jersey lists a temporary disability minimum of $320 per week and a maximum of $1,199 per week.

Temporary benefits generally apply while an injured worker is unable to work and remains under active medical care. They are usually terminated when the employee is released to return to work in some capacity and/or reaches Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI).

But the interaction between a light-duty release and an employer's inability to provide suitable work can change the analysis.

That is why an injured employee should not assume that being released to “light duty” automatically means temporary disability benefits must immediately disappear.

What If My Employer Offers Me Work That Violates My Restrictions?

This is a different problem.

Suppose your doctor says:

No lifting over 10 pounds.

Your employer then asks you to return to a position that regularly requires lifting 30-pound boxes.

Or your doctor prohibits prolonged standing, but your employer assigns you to an eight-hour shift that requires standing virtually the entire time.

The fact that the employer calls a position “light duty” does not by itself establish that the job complies with the medical restrictions.

The actual duties matter.

If there is a disagreement about whether an assignment falls within your restrictions, documentation can become extremely important.

That may include:

• The doctor's work-status note;
• Written restrictions;
• The employer's proposed job description;
• Emails or text messages concerning the assignment;
• Communications with human resources;
• Work schedules;
• Notes regarding duties the employee was actually instructed to perform; and
• Updated medical documentation.

An injured employee should avoid casually ignoring medical restrictions simply because a supervisor says the assigned work is acceptable.

Can My Employer Make Me Return to My Regular Job While I Have Restrictions?

A medical release to modified or light duty should not be treated as though it were automatically an unrestricted full-duty release.

If an authorized physician imposes restrictions, those restrictions are part of the employee's medical work status.

Problems can arise when there is a disconnect between what the doctor has authorized and what the employer expects the employee to do.

For that reason, injured employees should keep copies of their work-status notes and understand whether the doctor has released them to:

Full duty, modified duty, light duty, reduced hours or no work.

Those categories can have very different consequences.

What If I Refuse the Light-Duty Job My Employer Offers?

This requires caution.

If an employer offers legitimate work that actually falls within the restrictions imposed by the authorized physician, simply refusing to return could affect the worker's entitlement to temporary disability benefits.

That is different from a situation where the proposed job appears to violate the doctor's restrictions.

Before refusing an assignment, an injured worker should understand:

1. Exactly what the doctor authorized;
2. What duties the employer is offering;
3. Whether those duties comply with the restrictions; and
4. How refusing the position could affect workers' compensation benefits.

A disagreement should be documented rather than allowed to become a vague dispute over whether the employee simply “refused to work.”

What If My Employer Gives Me Fewer Hours Because of My Restrictions?

Reduced hours create another issue.

An employee may be medically capable of working, but only for a limited schedule. In other cases, the employer may offer fewer hours because it has limited modified-duty work available.

The effect on workers' compensation benefits can depend on the facts, including the doctor's restrictions, the employee's earnings and why the employee is working fewer hours.

Do not assume that every reduced paycheck automatically results in additional workers' compensation benefits—or that no additional benefits could possibly be available.

The employee's medical and wage information should be reviewed together.

What If My Employer Tells Me to Stay Home Until I Am “100%”?

That situation should also be documented.

There is an important difference between:

A doctor saying you cannot work

and

A doctor allowing you to work with restrictions while the employer chooses not to provide suitable work.

Those facts can affect the workers' compensation analysis.

If the authorized doctor has released you to modified duty but the employer tells you there is no work until you are completely unrestricted, keep documentation showing what both the doctor and employer said.

Can My Employer Fire Me Because I Have Work Restrictions?

Workers' compensation and employment law can overlap, but they are not identical.

New Jersey law prohibits an employer from discharging or discriminating against an employee because the employee claimed or attempted to claim workers' compensation benefits.

However, whether a particular termination, reduction in hours, job reassignment or other employment action violates the law depends on the circumstances.

An injured worker facing termination or another adverse employment action may need advice concerning both the workers' compensation claim and potentially separate employment-law rights.

The workers' compensation case itself remains focused on benefits arising from the work-related injury.

What Happens to My Medical Treatment While I Am on Light Duty?

Returning to modified work does not necessarily mean authorized medical treatment immediately ends.

An injured employee may return to work while continuing treatment such as:

• Physical therapy;
• Follow-up examinations;
• Diagnostic testing;
• Pain-management treatment;
• Injections; or
• Other authorized care.

New Jersey workers' compensation generally provides reasonable and necessary medical treatment for compensable work injuries.

The employer or workers' compensation insurance carrier generally controls the selection of the authorized treating providers, subject to the requirements of New Jersey law.

Employees should continue attending authorized appointments and complying with the treatment plan even after returning to some form of work.

What Happens When I Reach Maximum Medical Improvement?

Eventually, the authorized doctor may determine that you have reached Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI).

MMI generally means additional treatment is no longer expected to materially improve the work-related medical condition.

It does not necessarily mean you are completely healed.

An employee can reach MMI and still have pain, functional limitations or permanent restrictions.

MMI can represent a significant transition in a workers' compensation claim because active treatment and temporary disability may be ending while questions concerning permanent disability, permanency evaluations and potential settlement become more important.

Our recent discussion of what happens after reaching MMI in a New Jersey workers' compensation caseexplains that stage of the process in greater detail.

What If My Workers' Compensation Benefits Stop Even Though I Cannot Return to My Regular Job?

Do not assume that a carrier's decision necessarily resolves every disputed issue.

Workers' compensation disputes can involve:

• Whether an injury is compensable;
• Whether additional medical treatment is necessary;
• Whether temporary disability benefits should be paid;
• Whether treatment was prematurely terminated; or
• The extent of permanent disability.

The New Jersey Division of Workers' Compensation provides procedures for resolving disputes between injured employees and employers or insurance carriers.

One available procedure in appropriate cases is a Motion for Medical and Temporary Benefits. The Division states that this procedure provides recourse when an injured worker needs prompt medical treatment or temporary benefits, with an initial hearing date assigned before a Judge of Compensation within 30 days of filing.

An experienced workers' compensation attorney in New Jersey can review the medical records, work-status documentation and benefit history to determine what issues may need to be addressed.

What Should I Do If My Employer Cannot Accommodate My Restrictions?

Protect the paper trail.

An injured employee dealing with this situation should generally make sure there is documentation showing:

• The doctor's current work restrictions;
• The date the restrictions became effective;
• Whether the restrictions are temporary or permanent;
• Whether the employer was given a copy;
• What position or duties the employer offered;
• Whether the employer said no modified work was available;
• The dates the employee was unable to work;
• Whether temporary disability payments continued or stopped; and
• Any subsequent changes to the employee's medical status.

Avoid relying entirely on verbal conversations.

If HR or a supervisor says there is no work available within your restrictions, having that information documented can become important if a dispute later arises.

Why Work Restrictions Can Matter to Your Workers' Compensation Claim

Restrictions are not merely an inconvenience between an employee and employer.

They may provide important information about the continuing effects of the workplace injury.

Depending on the case, restrictions can affect:

Return to work → temporary disability → ongoing treatment → MMI → permanency → resolution of the workers' compensation claim.

That is why workers should take both temporary and permanent restrictions seriously.

A restriction affecting lifting, walking, standing, reaching, bending or other job functions may also become relevant when evaluating the lasting impact of an injury.

Frequently Asked Questions About Light Duty and Work Restrictions in New Jersey

Does my employer have to give me light duty after a work injury?

Whether appropriate modified work is available depends on the circumstances. However, New Jersey workers' compensation authorities recognize circumstances in which temporary disability benefits continue when an injured employee is capable of light-duty work but appropriate light-duty work is not offered.

Can workers' comp stop paying me when my doctor releases me to light duty?

A release to work can affect temporary disability benefits, but the specific circumstances matter. If your employer cannot provide work consistent with your medical restrictions, the issue may require further evaluation.

Do I have to accept light-duty work?

If the employer offers legitimate work that complies with the authorized doctor's restrictions, refusing the position can potentially affect temporary disability benefits. The actual restrictions and proposed job duties should be compared carefully.

What if my employer calls something light duty but it still hurts me?

The label does not determine whether the assignment complies with your restrictions. Compare the actual job duties with the restrictions imposed by your doctor and document any discrepancy.

Can I still receive medical treatment while working light duty?

Yes. Returning to modified work does not necessarily mean authorized workers' compensation medical treatment has ended.

Can I still receive workers' compensation if my employer has no work for me?

Potentially. New Jersey recognizes circumstances in which temporary disability continues when an employee remains under active treatment, cannot perform the regular job and appropriate light-duty work is not offered.

How much does New Jersey workers' comp pay while I am out of work?

Temporary total disability is generally calculated at 70% of the worker's average weekly wage, subject to the statutory minimum and maximum. For 2026 injuries, the temporary disability range is $320 to $1,199 per week.

What if my employer ignores my doctor's restrictions?

Document the restrictions, the work assigned and communications with the employer. A dispute involving work status or workers' compensation benefits should be evaluated based on the specific medical and employment circumstances.

Does reaching MMI eliminate my work restrictions?

Not necessarily. An employee may reach MMI and still have permanent restrictions or impairment.

Do I need a workers' compensation lawyer if my employer cannot accommodate my restrictions?

Not every situation requires the same response. However, if temporary disability has stopped, your employer is asking you to work outside your restrictions, treatment is disputed or there is disagreement about your work status, a New Jersey workers' compensation lawyer can review the circumstances and explain the available options.

Injured at Work in New Jersey and Your Employer Cannot Accommodate Your Restrictions?

Being released to light duty can sound straightforward.

Often, it isn't.

A worker may be medically capable of performing some work while still being unable to perform the job held before the injury. When an employer cannot—or does not—provide work consistent with the authorized doctor's restrictions, questions about temporary disability benefits, medical treatment and return-to-work status can quickly arise.

Those questions become especially important if benefits suddenly stop or an employee is pressured to perform duties outside the medical restrictions.

If you were injured at work in New Jersey and are having problems with light duty, work restrictions, temporary disability benefits or authorized treatment, contact Khorozian Law Group for a free consultation. Call (201) 944-9200 or contact us online. There is no fee unless we recover compensation for you.

¿Se lesionó en el trabajo en Nueva Jersey y su empleador dice que no puede darle trabajo dentro de sus restricciones médicas? Khorozian Law Group puede ayudarle a entender sus derechos y sus beneficios de compensación laboral. Llame al (201) 944-9200 para una consulta gratuita. No paga honorarios a menos que obtengamos una compensación para usted. Hablamos español.