Return to Work Training - Temporary Duty and Light Duty Programs
This Return to Work & Temporary Duty Training provides employees, supervisors, and managers with a clear understanding of how the return to work process functions after a workplace injury. The course explains how injured employees can safely return to productive work—either full duty or temporary duty—while recovering under documented medical restrictions.
The training introduces the core components of a return to work program, including injury reporting, medical documentation, fitness for duty requirements, communication responsibilities, and the use of temporary or light duty assignments. Participants learn how temporary duty, modified duty, and restricted duty work are used to support recovery, maintain productivity, and reduce unnecessary lost work time.
This course focuses on process, roles, and expectations, not medical treatment or legal decision-making. It helps organizations implement return to work and temporary duty programs consistently while ensuring employees understand their responsibilities, the importance of following medical restrictions, and how modified work assignments support a safe transition back to full duty.
What You’ll Learn
- Return to Work Programs - What a return to work program is and how it supports recovery after injury
- Duty Classifications - The difference between full duty, temporary duty, light duty, modified duty, and restricted duty
- Employee Responsibilities - Employee responsibilities following a workplace injury
- Supervisor Responsibilities - Supervisor and management responsibilities in the return to work process
- Fitness for Duty - How fitness for duty documentation guides work assignments
- Light Duty Assignments - How temporary and light duty work is identified and assigned
- Communication - Why communication and documentation are critical during recovery
- Compliance - Consequences of not following return to work or medical restriction requirements
- Injury Reporting - Proper injury reporting and post-injury timelines
- Work Restrictions - Understanding permanent versus temporary work restrictions
Course Details
Duration: 20 minutes
Format: Self Paced Online Training
Assessment: Knowledge quiz with immediate feedback
Certification: Certificate of completion upon passing
Access: Available 24/7 through Training Director LMS
Who Should Take This Course
- Employees who need to understand the return to work program
- Supervisors responsible for managing injured workers
- Managers overseeing return to work or temporary duty programs
- HR and safety personnel involved in injury response and coordination
- Organizations implementing or reinforcing a return to work or light duty program
Key Topics Covered
- Return to work program purpose and structure
- Temporary duty and light duty work assignments
- Modified and restricted duty concepts
- Injury reporting and post-injury timelines
- Fitness for duty forms and medical restrictions
- Written transitional job offers
- Supervisor and program administrator roles
- Communication and confidentiality during recovery
- Permanent versus temporary work restrictions
- Non-compliance and its impact on benefits and employment
- Return to work after injury procedures
- Back to work after injury expectations
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the training take?
The course takes approximately 20 minutes to complete. Employees can complete the training in one session or break it into multiple sessions at their convenience.
Is this training OSHA compliant?
This training is designed to help organizations implement effective return to work programs and temporary duty procedures. It covers process, roles, and expectations for returning to work after injury. This training does not replace legal advice, medical treatment decisions, or compliance determinations related to ADA, FMLA, or state-specific workers’ compensation requirements. Employers should consult with legal counsel and workers’ compensation administrators to ensure their return to work programs comply with applicable laws and regulations.
Do employees receive a certificate?
Yes. Upon successful completion, employees can generate a certificate of completion. All progress is stored and accessible in the main dashboard under Learner Report.
How often should employees take this training?
We recommend providing this training to supervisors and managers annually, and to employees when they return to work after an injury or when assigned to temporary duty. Refresher training should occur when return to work procedures change.
Can we track completion across our workforce?
Yes. Training Director provides real-time tracking of assignments, completion status, and quiz scores for all employees.
What is the difference between light duty and modified duty?
Light duty and modified duty are often used interchangeably to describe temporary work assignments with restrictions. Light duty typically refers to work that is less physically demanding than an employee’s regular job. Modified duty refers to an employee’s regular job with specific modifications or restrictions based on medical documentation. Both are forms of temporary duty work designed to support recovery while maintaining productivity.
What is temporary duty work?
Temporary duty work is any work assignment provided to an injured employee during recovery that accommodates documented medical restrictions. This includes light duty, modified duty, or restricted duty assignments. Temporary duty is not permanent—it’s designed to support safe recovery and transition back to full duty work.
Can an employer require an employee to accept light duty work?
Requirements vary by state and workers’ compensation laws. Generally, employers can offer light duty work within documented medical restrictions, and refusal may impact workers’ compensation benefits. However, employers must ensure light duty assignments comply with medical restrictions and applicable laws. Employees should understand that accepting appropriate light duty work supports recovery and may be required to maintain benefits.
Get Started
Return to Work Training is included with the Intelligent Plan.
- Sign up - You can begin on the free plan and upgrade when you’re ready to assign courses.
- Complete the company risk assessment (required) - It takes less than 15 minutes. Answer all questions as accurately as possible so we can set up your account correctly.
- Access your dashboard - After submitting the assessment, you’ll be redirected to your dashboard.
- Click Training Director - Start assigning courses to your team.
Related Resources
Related Training Courses
- Safety Orientation - Emergency Procedures and Common Workplace Injuries - New employee safety orientation including injury reporting procedures
- Basic First Aid for Employees - Essential first aid training for workplace injuries
- Accident Investigation - A Manager’s Guide to Root Cause Analysis - Learn to investigate workplace injuries and prevent recurrence
- Building a Strong Safety Culture - Develop a proactive safety culture that supports injury prevention
Related Blog Posts
- How to Improve Workers Comp Cost: Proven Strategies to Reduce Premiums - Comprehensive guide to reducing workers’ compensation costs including return to work programs
- Safety Pays: How Risk Control Delivers ROI and Reduces Insurance Costs - Understanding the financial impact of workplace injuries and prevention programs
Related Toolbox Talks
- Return to Work and Light Duty Programs - Essential guidance on return to work and light duty assignments
- First Aid Basics for the Jobsite: Emergency Response Skills - Immediate injury response and care that supports return to work programs
- The Real Cost of Workplace Injuries - Understanding the financial impact of workplace injuries