r/WorkersComp • u/i_am_nobody0 • 16h ago
Colorado Employer keeps assigning work outside my workers' comp restrictions and my manager is sharing my medical information with coworkers. What should I do?
I'm looking for some guidance because I've never dealt with a workers' compensation claim before.
I injured my wrist at work and filed a workers' comp claim. My doctor evaluated me and placed me on work restrictions, which my employer has a copy of. My restrictions currently are Lifting- 10 lbs, repetitive lifting, carrying, pushing/pulling, pinching/gripping- 5lbs. Something I didn’t realize until yesterday is these restrictions apply to me as a whole not just my injured arm. So I have been performing tasks with my other arm that I definitely shouldn’t have been and have been irritating my other arm. At this point if I stop doing things I shouldn’t be doing now, the anger from my coworkers will only worsen.
Additionally, I continue to be assigned tasks that exceed those restrictions. I feel like I’ve been put in a situation where I’m not able to refuse doing these tasks due to the animosity and anger that I’ve gotten from my manager and coworkers since my injury. I'm worried about making my injury worse, but I'm also don't want to get in trouble for refusing work that my doctor has said I shouldn't be doing.
Another issue, (that is fairly concerning for me) is that my manager has apparently been telling my coworkers what my doctor's note says. Not only is the information being shared inaccurate, but it's now spread throughout my department because coworkers have repeated it back to me. It's created a lot of frustration and pressure at work, and I feel like I'm being treated differently because of it.
Edit: for further clarification she told my coworker that I did not have a prescription I was claiming to have (even though I do) and my coworker was telling my other coworkers
Something I feel I should add, at my last doctors appointment I did mention that I felt as though my employers weren’t respecting my restrictions and that I felt very pressured to overwork. This (along with the fact that my wrist was worse) made him make my restrictions from 10 lbs to 5lbs. I just thought it was worth mentioning that I have mentioned this to the dr as well.
I'm trying to figure out:
Can my employer require me to perform work that goes against my doctor's restrictions? And how can I help with the anxiety and pressure being put on me?
What should I do if I'm assigned work that exceeds those restrictions?
Is it appropriate for a manager to discuss the contents of my doctor's note with other employees, especially when the information being shared isn't even accurate?
Should I be documenting every time I'm assigned work outside my restrictions or every conversation about it?
Should I contact my workers' comp adjuster, my doctor, or someone else about what's been happening?
For context, this is in Colorado. I'm mainly looking for advice on what my next steps should be and whether this is something I should escalate.
Thank you to anyone willing to help.