Should I accept or decline

I worked at a big retail company in Ohio for two years. On March 19th, 2006 I was injured on the job and I had to go to the hospital (standard procedure according to this retail company) to have the back checked. It was revealed that I had back strain. I had to go to their Workman�s comp doctor he wrote that I can usually lift 10 lbs and I can lift 20 lbs occasionally. My back hurt so bad that I had to take two weeks off of work. Well, on the 8th of August I had to talk to my Personal manager, who said I wasn�t able to go back to my old job and they offered me a job as greeter and if I accept that position I will receive sixty cent reduction in pay. I didn�t accept that or decline the offer as of yet. Now, my question is can this company make me accept a lower paying even though I was injured on the job?

1 answer  |  asked Aug 9, 2006 10:41 AM [EST]  |  applies to Ohio

Answers (1)

Neil Klingshirn
Wage loss compensation will make up for most of this loss

When it comes to working injured, your doctor will tell you to work within your limitations. That is excellent advise. If your employer does not have work within your limitations, it cannot keep you at work and therefore you will not get paid. However, you will be entitled to receive a workers's compensation benefit, called temporary total compensation, that will basically pay 2/3 of your wages.

In your case, it appears that your employer has work within your limitations, but it pays only 1/3 of what your main job pays. In that case, you can take that job and then apply to workers compensation for wage loss benefits. Wage loss compensation will pay 2/3 of the earnings that you lose as a result of taking the lower paying work.

posted by Neil Klingshirn  |  Aug 10, 2006 1:40 PM [EST]

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