Workers’ compensation: What is vocational rehabilitation?

In the medical sense of the word, “rehabilitation” refers to rehabilitative care like physical therapy to help an injured worker overcome an injury. However, there is also vocational rehabilitation, which has an altogether different meaning. The latter is a benefit offered by the California workers’ compensation to victims of debilitating occupational injuries who are unable to return to their usual jobs.

Vocational rehabilitation is offered at no cost to the injured victim. The services that are included in the rehabilitation vary from state to state, but the typical goal is to equip the injured worker with new skills that will allow the debilitated employee to continue working in a different position. The benefits typically include tests and analysis of existing abilities to determine transferable skills and on-the-job training in the appropriate field.

Furthermore, the worker might be provided with a resume and help with job applications. In preparation for this, the assistance might include job searches and training in interview techniques and skills. The vocational rehabilitation counselors might even help with identifying potential employers, wage assessment evaluations and ergonomic assessments to determine the suitability and how a potential job will accommodate the disabilities.

Workers in Florida who are left with permanent disabilities might have questions about the available benefits offered by the California workers’ compensation insurance program. Another issue that might need an answer is how to go about arranging vocational rehabilitation and the deadline that might be effective. The logical step might be to consult with an attorney who has experience in helping workers who suffered debilitating injuries to get the benefits to which they are entitled.