Modifying Job Duties

Light duty or modified jobs can be arranged for you as you gradually recover and gain strength and stamina. This may involve transitional work performing some of your original duties with some limitations, or performing a different job temporarily during the recovery process.

For example, a young burn survivor is unable to wear his work boots due to healing skin grafts on his feet and ankles.  His feet tend to swell when upright for more than several hours/day, causing increased pain in his feet. The burn team prescribes the following:

  • Elevation of his legs for 15 minutes every 2 hours during daylight hours
  • Begin to wear work boots for short periods of time – around the house.  Increase the amount of boot wear-time until he can tolerate them for 8 hours/day.
  • Work at a light duty job that does not require work boots until skin grafts have matured.