Compare a Job Description With the Work Note You Have

Compare the actual job tasks with the wording in the work note, and mark unanswered questions instead of deciding whether the job is safe or legally suitable. This is general preparation for a professional discussion. It does not authorize accepting, refusing or trying a particular assignment.

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Use the job description or assignment you were actually given. A job title alone may leave out the actions you need explained. If you are working from your recollection instead of a written description, label that source clearly and identify what the employer still needs to confirm.

Build a side-by-side comparison

Job information	Work-note information	Unresolved question
Named task and its source	Exact relevant wording, if any	Does the note address this activity?
Known frequency or duration	Any stated time limit	Is the task’s duration clear enough to compare?
Known load or equipment	Any stated limit or condition	Which missing detail needs confirmation?
Work schedule and location	Any instruction that actually concerns them	What is outside the note’s stated scope?

Keep an empty comparison cell visible. Do not interpret it as unrestricted permission or as a definite conflict. It means the records do not yet give you a complete answer.

Separate missing job detail from medical uncertainty

If the description says “assist with deliveries,” ask the employer what actions that involves. If the work note uses an unclear clinical or restriction term, ask the treating professional to explain it. Those are different missing pieces; forwarding the same broad question to everyone can leave both unanswered.

Preserve quantities and units as issued. If the description lacks them, request clarification rather than estimating a load that makes the proposed task appear to fit. Do not modify a clinician’s note to match a proposed role.

Keep the decision documents beside the comparison

In Pennsylvania, LIBC-757 is an insurer’s Notice of Ability to Return to Work, with referenced medical support. It is a separate record from your own task comparison. Retain any actual offer letter and claim notices as well, so the discussion is based on the documents that prompted it.

Bring the table as a question aid, with the original job description and note available. A useful prompt is: “These are the recorded tasks and the written instructions. Which points need medical clarification, and which need a clearer employer description?” Ask the person advising on the claim about legal consequences separately.

This guide does not assess ergonomics, prescribe restrictions, decide suitable employment or determine benefits. Its value is making the uncertainty specific enough to discuss.

For understanding the note first, read written restrictions. For the offer itself, see Pennsylvania return-to-work offer questions in the work and wages topic.