Returning to Work After Workers' Comp — Light Duty Rules in Utah

Your doctor releases you to "light duty" — limited lifting, no overhead work, 4-hour shifts. Your employer says "great, we have a desk job for you." Suddenly your TTD check stops, and you're scanning invoices instead of swinging a hammer.

Did they legally end your benefits? Maybe. Depends on the details.

The short version

• If your doctor releases you to light duty and your employer offers a job within those restrictions, you must accept or risk losing TTD.
• If light-duty wages are lower than pre-injury wages, you may qualify for TPD (Temporary Partial Disability) — pays the difference.
• The job must actually exist and be within your restrictions. "Sit in a chair and stare" doesn't qualify.
• You can refuse light duty if it violates restrictions or wasn't offered in writing — but document carefully.

What "light duty" means in Utah

Light duty isn't a specific job title. It's a job that fits within whatever medical restrictions your treating doctor wrote. Common restrictions:

• Lifting under 10–25 pounds
• No overhead reaching
• No prolonged standing or sitting (alternate every 30 min)
• No bending, twisting, or kneeling
• Shortened workday (4–6 hours)
• No driving company vehicles

If your employer offers a job that fits these AND pays you, you're expected to take it.

TTD vs TPD — what happens to your check

If light-duty job pays SAME as your pre-injury wages

TTD stops. You're back at full pay through normal payroll. No WC check while you work.

If light-duty job pays LESS than pre-injury wages

You qualify for TPD — Temporary Partial Disability. Formula:

TPD weekly = (pre-injury AWW − new wages) × 66.67%

Example: AWW $1,200, light-duty job pays $700/week.

• Lost wages: $1,200 − $700 = $500/week
• TPD weekly: $500 × 0.6667 = $333/week
• Total income: $700 (job) + $333 (TPD) = $1,033/week (still less than pre-injury)

When you can refuse light duty

1. Outside your medical restrictions. If the doctor said no lifting over 10 lbs and the job requires 25, refuse in writing.
2. Job doesn't actually exist. "Come in and we'll find you something" is not an offer.
3. Inappropriate location or commute. Massive distance increases can be valid grounds.
4. Sham job — sitting in a break room all day doing nothing.
5. Hostile environment — if returning means harassment, document.

If you accept and can't physically do it

Try the job. If pain spikes or you can't perform tasks within restrictions, document immediately:

1. Tell your supervisor in writing same day.
2. See your doctor and report inability to perform.
3. Get updated restrictions in writing.
4. Submit to employer and request alternative or restoration of TTD.

Common mistakes

Mistake 1: Quitting because light duty is "humiliating"

Quitting ends your TTD and TPD eligibility. Even if scanning invoices feels beneath you, take the job. You can pursue retraining or change jobs later.

Mistake 2: Accepting verbal offers without details

"We have something for you" isn't a job offer. Get the written description with hours, pay, location, and exact duties. Compare against restrictions.

Mistake 3: Working through pain to "be a team player"

If the light-duty job aggravates the injury, document everything and see the doctor. Pushing through can set back your recovery and complicate your claim.

Run the numbers

Use the CVR Quick Calculator to see TTD vs TPD scenarios for your case. Know which one applies before accepting any light-duty offer.

This article is general information about Utah workers' compensation, not legal advice. Dollar amounts are estimates based on published Utah rates. For advice about your own case, talk to a licensed Utah workers' comp attorney.