In a win for employers, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit ruled that a light duty assignment granted to an injured worker does not need to be permanent. In this particular case the employee suffered a work injury, which turned into a medical condition covered by ADA. She returned to light duty but exceeded the employer’s 270-day light duty mandate. She was still unable to perform the essential functions of her job. The court ruled the employer was not required to offer indefinite light duty.
The case demonstrates the overlap between workers’ compensation and the ADA. While this ruling favors employers, staffing companies need to know when they can offer light duty assignments, and for how long. Professional Employer Organizations can help staffing companies design programs that cover all scenarios, protecting both employer and employee.
Visit our web site at www.StaffingCompSolutions.com, call us at 202-302-1212, or email us at david@StaffingCompSolutions.com for more information about all our staffing and workers’ comp offerings.
Sincerely
David Schek
President
StaffingCompSolutions.com