I am on light duty, does my employer have to pay me to go to my medical appointments?

by Diana Robles, Associate Attorney

In most instances if you have returned to work on light duty, you will not receive payment from the employer for attending doctor or therapy appointments.  The carrier will review each case to determine if temporary benefits are due.  However, once a doctor has released you to return to work with restrictions, Arizona law only requires them to pay 66 2/3% of the difference between the wages you are now able to earn and your established average monthly wage.  This compensation is paid once a month. So if you have returned to working your regular hours and you are only missing a few hours a week for appointments, it is unlikely that you would get compensation for time missed for appointments.  You would only receive compensation if your earnings were reduced by more than 33 1/3 of your set wage.

If you or anybody you know has a work injury or disability, call Snow, Carpio & Weekley at 855-325-4781 for a free consultation. You can also visit our website at www.workinjuryaz.com.