workers compensation light duty restrictions
EEOC states that light duty means temporary or permanent work that is physically or mentally less demanding than normal duties. Workers compensation light duty restrictions are the activity limits on the doctor's work-status note, not a job title. The employer matches those limits to a task. If no match exists, wage-loss benefits can continue.
Last updated: August 25, 2026
Restriction rows versus the phrase light duty
| What is written | What the employer can do with it |
|---|---|
| Lift/carry pounds and hours | Keep or drop warehouse and stock tasks |
| Standing, walking, sitting limits | Assign a seated or split-posture task |
| No overhead reaching or no climbing | Remove ladder and shelf work |
| Hours-per-day cap | Offer a shorter shift instead of full duty |
| The adjective “light duty” alone | Not matchable; ask for the rows |
EEOC guidance: Workers' Compensation and the ADA. Illinois TTD if no match: IWCC handbook. Restriction rows: DWC Form-073 PDF.
Compare terms: modified duty vs light duty workers compensation.
| Claim | URL | Listed |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| ADA does not require creating a light-duty job for a non-occupational injury | eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/enforcement-guidance-workers-compensation-and-ada | An employer need not create a light duty position for a |
| Illinois TTD continues if light duty is unavailable | iwcc.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/iwcc/documents/handbook/IWCC%20handbook%2006.06.24.pdf | released to do light-duty work but whose employer is unable to accommodate |
| 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 counts as workers compensation light duty restrictions?
They are the activity limits on the work-status note: lift/carry, posture, motion, hours, and environment. EEOC states that light duty generally means temporary or permanent work that is physically or mentally less demanding than normal job duties. The note's rows, not the phrase light duty alone, tell the employer which tasks are in and which are out.
Must an employer create a light-duty job?
EEOC states that an employer need not create a light duty position for a non-occupationally injured employee with a disability as a reasonable accommodation. Workers-comp programs often still use reserved light-duty slots for occupational injuries. If Illinois releases the employee to light-duty work and the employer cannot accommodate, the IWCC handbook states that TTD can continue.
How do California rules talk about the same limits?
California Title 8 section 9785 states that the primary treating physician must report when the employee's condition permits return to modified or regular work. That is a capacity report, not a new injury. The later Physician's Return-to-Work & Voucher Report restates lasting limits for regular, modified, or alternative work after permanent-and-stationary status.
What restriction rows usually appear on a work-status form?
The Texas DWC Form-073 PDF lists posture, motion, lift/carry, and miscellaneous rows, including standing, sitting, kneeling, overhead reaching, and a pounds-and-hours lift line. Copy those units. Do not replace them with a single adjective such as light. Hours per day and a through-date make the restriction usable for a job match.