You've recovered enough to leave the house. You've updated your resume. You've applied to dozens of jobs—but each interview ends the same way. Employers see your limitations and move on to the next candidate. After a workplace injury, finding a new job can feel like facing rejection on repeat, even when you're ready and willing to work.
Ohio's workers' compensation system recognizes this reality. When your injury makes it harder to get hired, you're not left to figure it out alone. Resources such as non-working wage loss benefits and vocational rehabilitation exist to bridge the gap between recovery and reemployment. Monast Law Office helps ensure you access every option available while you rebuild your career.
Why Is Finding Work After an Injury Harder?
Companies want employees who can hit the ground running. When you reveal lifting restrictions, limited mobility, or the need for modified work accommodations, hiring managers often choose someone without those complications. While there are some legal disability protections in place to prevent this discrimination, it’s challenging to prove you were turned down for employment because of your work-related injuries.
Your injury might also limit you in ways that don't show up on a resume. Chronic pain makes long shifts unbearable. Cognitive issues from a head injury affect focus. Physical restrictions rule out entire industries. Even if you're medically cleared to return to work, the jobs you once qualified for may no longer be realistic options.
Some employers hesitate to hire workers with recent injuries, fearing higher costs or future claims. Others assume you'll need excessive time off or struggle to keep up. These biases make an already difficult job search even more discouraging, especially while you're watching savings disappear. But our dedicated workers’ compensation legal team can help you consider other options.
What Does Non-Working Wage Loss Means for Injured Ohio Workers?
When you're ready to work but can't find a job because of your injury, the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) offers non-working wage loss benefits. This compensation acknowledges that your injury—not your effort—is keeping you unemployed.
Non-working wage loss isn't the same as temporary total disability (TTD). Similar to unemployment benefits, non-working wage loss kicks in after you've been released to return to work but can't secure employment due to injury-related limitations. TTD pays you while you're too injured to work.
To qualify for wage loss benefits, you must actively search for jobs and document your efforts, but the system recognizes that some injuries make you less competitive in the labor market, and these benefits provide financial stability while you continue searching or retraining for work that fits your new abilities. You'll also need medical documentation showing your restrictions and proof that you're genuinely trying to find work.
The BWC reviews applications carefully, and some key stipulations may prevent eligibility. But having an experienced Ohio workers’ compensation attorney like Jim Monast manage your claim significantly improves your chances of approval.
How Does Vocational Rehabilitation Help You Get Back to Work?
This program through Ohio workers' comp does more than help you find any job—it helps you find the right job. If your injury prevents you from returning to your old line of work, vocational rehab offers retraining, job placement assistance, and support services designed to match your skills with realistic opportunities. It's especially valuable if your injury forced you out of a physically demanding career and you need to pivot into something new.
Services may include:
- Skills assessment and career counseling. Specialists evaluate your abilities, limitations, and interests to identify possible career paths you might not have considered.
- Job training and education programs. Access funding for certification courses, community college classes, or vocational training that prepares you for in-demand roles within your restrictions.
- Resume building and interview coaching. Learn how to present your experience confidently while addressing your injury honestly and professionally during the hiring process.
- Job placement support. Vocational counselors connect you with employers willing to accommodate workers with restrictions, increasing your odds of landing a position.
While this program doesn't guarantee instant employment, it gives you tools, training, and connections that self-directed job hunting rarely provides.
Moving Forward After a Work Injury With Help From Monast Law Office
Non-working wage loss and vocational rehabilitation give you time and resources to find work that fits your abilities. However, while you might have secured your initial workers’ comp benefits just fine, our team makes sure nothing falls through the cracks regarding these new applications and deadlines. We’ll also help you maneuver away from bureaucratic hurdles that can derail your benefits if handled incorrectly.
Your job-related injury might have changed your career path, but it doesn't have to end it. With our support and access to resources, your next professional opportunity is closer than you think.
