A work injury can shift control quickly. Employers have specific authority under South Carolina workers’ compensation law, but that authority has limits. Knowing where those limits begin and end matters when medical care, income, and job status are involved. Reach out to Mickle & Brass to learn more.
South Carolina law generally allows the employer or its insurance carrier to select the physician who treats a work-related injury. To have medical care paid through workers’ compensation, treatment usually must come from that authorized provider. Care obtained without approval may not be reimbursed.
If the authorized physician releases an injured worker to light-duty restrictions, the employer may require a return to work in that capacity. When the assigned tasks stay within medical restrictions, refusing the work can result in suspension of weekly compensation payments. The assignment must be attempted.
After a workplace accident, an employer may require drug or alcohol testing. Refusal to test, or a positive result, can affect eligibility for workers’ compensation benefits. Many employers use testing to evaluate whether impairment played a role in the injury.
An employer cannot require the use of accrued sick leave or vacation time for a compensable work injury. If a physician removes an employee from work for more than seven days, workers’ compensation law provides for temporary disability payments. Personal leave should not be substituted for those benefits.
Questions often arise when employer requests go beyond what the law allows. Mickle & Bass Law Firm reviews workers’ compensation matters to determine whether employer actions align with South Carolina law, including disputes involving medical care, work restrictions, or benefits.