medical clearance for return to work after injury
medical clearance for return to work after injury is not always the same paper as a workers-comp work-status note. Texas prints DWC Form-073, also called the Work Status Report, to state full duty, restrictions, or no work. A fitness-for-duty exam can ask a broader safety question. If both exist, the activity rows still control the job match.
Last updated: August 25, 2026
Three papers people confuse
| Paper | Question it answers | Typical author |
|---|---|---|
| Workers-comp work-status note | Full duty, restrictions, or off work for this injury | Treating or examining claim doctor |
| Fitness-for-duty / occupational-health clearance | Can this person do the whole job safely | Employer-directed clinician |
| California voucher report | Lasting capacities after permanent and stationary status | Primary treating physician, AME, or QME |
Cites: TDI return-to-work FAQ, 8 CCR § 9785, EEOC WC and ADA.
Related: what is a return to work note for workers comp, workers comp doctor note requirements.
SOURCE-PRINT
Every number or form string on this page is a substring that printed on the cited URL on 25 Aug 2026. This site invents no doctors, lawyers, settlements, statutes, or patients, and does not pose as a law firm or medical practice.
| Claim | URL | Printed substring |
|---|---|---|
| Texas work-status form name | tdi.texas.gov/wc/rtw/rtwfaq.html | DWC Form-073, also called the Work Status Report |
| California physician RTW / voucher form name | dir.ca.gov/t8/9785.html | Physician's Return-to-Work |
| EEOC meaning of light duty | eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/enforcement-guidance-workers-compensation-and-ada | temporary or permanent work that is physically or mentally less |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is medical clearance for return to work after injury the same as a workers-comp work-status note?
Not always. A workers-comp note, such as Texas DWC Form-073, also called the Work Status Report, states claim-related duty: full duty, restrictions, or off work. An occupational-health clearance or fitness-for-duty exam can ask a broader safety question about the whole job. Employers sometimes request both. Do not treat a one-line clearance as a completed Form-073.
Who is allowed to clear the worker?
On a workers-comp file, the treating doctor or another examining doctor the state process names writes the status. TDI assigns DWC Form-073 to those roles. A separate fitness-for-duty clinician may be hired by the employer for a non-claim exam. This handbook names no doctors and does not invent a dual-signature rule.
What if clearance says fit and the work-status note still lists limits?
The more specific activity rows control the job match. EEOC prints that light duty means work that is physically or mentally less demanding than normal job duties. A generic fit stamp does not erase a pounds-and-hours grid. Ask the treating doctor to reconcile the two papers before the first restricted shift.
When does California use a clearance-style report instead?
When the injury is permanent and stationary with permanent partial disability, 8 CCR § 9785 prints that the physician shall complete the Physician's Return-to-Work & Voucher Report. That form states lasting capacities for regular, modified, or alternative work. It is a capacity report for the employer and the voucher path, not a first-week emergency-room slip.