what should a return to work letter include
what should a return to work letter include: employee name, injury date, one work-status choice, specific activity limits, a through-date, and the next evaluation. Texas prints those blocks on DWC Form-073, also called the Work Status Report. A one-line “may return to work” sentence is not a workers-comp letter. The employer needs rows it can match to a task.
Last updated: August 25, 2026
Required blocks
| Block | Why it has to be on the letter |
|---|---|
| Employee and injury date | Ties the letter to one claim |
| One status: full duty, restrictions, or off work | Tells payroll which benefit or wage applies |
| Activity limits in pounds, hours, and postures | Makes a job match possible |
| Through-date and next visit | Stops the employer from guessing expiry |
| Clinician name, credential, and date of exam | Shows who examined the worker and when |
Texas form: DWC Form-073. California later form: Physician's Return-to-Work & Voucher Report.
This checklist is not a substitute for how to write a work release form for injured employee.
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 |
| California PTP must report return to modified or regular work | dir.ca.gov/t8/9785.html | return to modified or regular work |
Frequently Asked Questions
what should a return to work letter include that a sick note leaves out?
A workers-comp letter needs one work-status choice, numbered activity limits, a through-date, and the next evaluation. TDI's Work Status Report also collects injury date, employer, carrier, and the clinician's license line. A sentence that only says the employee may return to work is not enough for a job match or a bona fide offer.
Which identity fields belong at the top?
Include the employee's name, the date of the work injury, the employer's name, and the insurance carrier if known. Texas DWC Form-073 prints those header boxes. Without the injury date, the letter cannot be tied to the claim. Without the employer line, the offer packet has no addressee for the restrictions.
Do I need diagnosis narrative in the letter?
State forms differ. The Texas work-status PDF prints a work-injury diagnosis information box and a separate activity-restriction grid. California's later voucher report is for capacities after permanent-and-stationary status, not for a first-week release. Put diagnosis where the form asks. Do not paste a full chart note into an employer letter.
What duration language should the letter use?
Use a through-date or a next-visit date, not forever. TDI's restricted-duty box prints that restrictions are expected to last through a stated day. Off-work status prints an expected-continue date. A letter without a review date forces the employer to guess when the limits expire and makes the next work-status filing late.