If you’ve been seriously injured on the job, your doctor may eventually issue permanent work restrictions. These are medical limitations that you’re expected to follow for the rest of your life to avoid further harm. But what do these restrictions mean for your job, your benefits, and your future?
At Employees First Labor Law, we help California workers understand and enforce their rights under the workers’ compensation system—especially when it comes to permanent disability and return-to-work issues. Here’s what you need to know about permanent work restrictions and how they may impact your case.
🚧 What Are Permanent Work Restrictions?
Permanent work restrictions are limitations placed on your ability to perform certain physical or mental tasks as a result of your work-related injury. These are not temporary limitations—they’re considered lifelong medical restrictions issued once your condition reaches Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI).
Examples of permanent work restrictions include:
- No lifting more than 10 pounds
- No prolonged standing or walking
- No repetitive use of hands or arms
- No exposure to certain chemicals or environments
- Limitations on mental or cognitive functions (in cases of TBI or psychiatric injuries)
These restrictions are meant to protect your health and prevent reinjury.
Who Decides What Restrictions Apply?
Your treating physician or a Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME) will determine your permanent work restrictions after your condition stabilizes. The restrictions will be documented in your medical report and will be central to determining:
- Your Permanent Disability Rating
- Your eligibility for future medical care
- Whether your employer can offer you a job within your restrictions
Can My Employer Accommodate My Restrictions?
Under California law, your employer must evaluate whether it can offer you regular, modified, or alternative work that complies with your permanent restrictions. If they cannot or choose not to, you may be entitled to:
- A Supplemental Job Displacement Benefit (SJDB) voucher for retraining
- Ongoing permanent disability payments
- Possible settlement of your case based on future loss of earning capacity
If your employer offers a job but it violates your medical restrictions, speak with a workers’ comp attorney immediately. You are not required to accept unsafe work.
Can I Be Fired for Having Permanent Work Restrictions?
Not if your employer can reasonably accommodate your restrictions.
California is an at-will employment state, but that does not give employers a free pass to terminate injured workers when reasonable accommodations are available. If your permanent work restrictions can be accommodated without causing your employer an undue hardship, they are required to do so under both FEHA (Fair Employment and Housing Act) and California workers’ compensation laws.
If your employer:
- Refuses to engage in the interactive process
- Fails to provide reasonable accommodations
- Fires you because of your disability or medical restrictions
…you may have strong claims for wrongful termination, disability discrimination, and retaliation, including under Labor Code §132a and FEHA.
👉 Read more: Can I Be Fired While on Workers’ Comp?
Do Permanent Restrictions Affect My Workers’ Comp Benefits?
Yes. Permanent work restrictions are closely tied to:
- Permanent Disability Ratings (which determine the value of your disability payments)
- Whether you qualify for vocational rehabilitation
- How your case is valued during settlement negotiations (Compromise & Release or Stipulated Award)
If your employer cannot accommodate your restrictions and you cannot return to work, your benefit value increases significantly.
What If My Employer Ignores My Restrictions?
If your employer pushes you to do work that violates your restrictions or retaliates against you, document everything and contact a workers’ comp lawyer immediately. You may be entitled to:
- An increase in permanent disability payments
- Penalties and sanctions against your employer
- A claim for retaliation or failure to accommodate
