Vocational Rehabilitation Injured Workers Ohio

Understanding Vocational Rehabilitation

Vocational rehabilitation helps restore the vocational functioning of Ohio workers. This applies to those who experience an on-the-job injury or occupational disease and voluntarily agree to participate.

Vocational rehabilitation is entirely optional and not required of any injured worker.

Entering a Vocational Rehab Program

Anyone can refer an Ohio injured worker for vocational rehabilitation services, including doctors or lawyers. Once a referral is made, the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation determines the injured employee's eligibility.

Eligibility for Vocational Rehabilitation

To be eligible for vocational rehabilitation, an injured worker must meet specific criteria. Generally, they must have an allowed claim with at least eight days of lost time due to the work-related injury.

They must also have a "significant impediment" to returning to work and meet one of the following conditions:

• Receiving or awarded temporary total, non-working wage loss, or permanent total compensation that includes the referral date.
• Granted a scheduled loss award.
• Received a permanent partial disability award with job restrictions from the physician of record, dated within 180 days of the referral.
• Reached "maximum medical improvement."
• Receiving job retention services.
• Sustained a catastrophic injury claim where a vocational goal can be established.
• Received living maintenance wage loss within 90 days of the referral, has continuing job restrictions documented by the physician of record due to allowed conditions, and lost their job through no fault of their own.

Other restrictions may apply. For more information, refer to OAC 4123-18-03.

Feasibility for Voc Rehab in Ohio

If an injured worker is deemed "eligible" for voc rehab, they must then be determined "feasible" to gain entrance into a program. To be "feasible," the injured worker must have a "reasonable probability" of benefiting from services and returning to work as a result.

If you are interested in vocational rehabilitation, have questions about eligibility, or have been denied entrance into a program, please call our office to discuss your options.

Our firm has been practicing Ohio workers’ compensation law for over 25 years.