Questions to Ask About a Written Return-to-Work Offer
Read a Pennsylvania return-to-work offer for the actual job, duties, dates and response instructions, then seek clarification of missing or conflicting information promptly. This article does not tell you to accept or decline an offer or decide its effect on benefits.
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An employer’s job offer, a clinician’s work note and an insurer’s Notice of Ability to Return to Work are separate records. LIBC-757, Notice of Ability to Return to Work, cites section306(b)(3) and concerns medical evidence received by the insurer. Its title should not be substituted for a concrete description of the offered job.
Extract the offer’s actual terms
| Item | What to locate or ask |
|---|---|
| Role and duties | What tasks does the written offer actually describe? |
| Schedule and start | Which dates, hours and reporting arrangements are stated? |
| Pay | What rate or payment arrangement is stated? |
| Location and contact | Where and to whom does the offer say to report? |
| Medical references | Which note or report is cited, and is it attached? |
| Response instruction | What action and timing does the actual document specify? |
If the offer says a description is attached and it is missing, record that gap. Do not fill it with an old description unless the employer confirms it is the relevant one.
Compare documents without making the final judgment
Put the stated duties beside the work note you have. Mark where the task or instruction is unclear. Ask the employer to clarify the actual job demands and the treating professional to clarify medical instructions. If represented, provide the complete offer and related records to your lawyer promptly.
Avoid treating an informal question about the offer as a confirmed change to its instructions. Keep your request and the response separately, including the date and channel. This makes it possible to explain what remained unresolved at a particular point.
Address the consequences question with the actual record
Pennsylvania’s injured-worker pamphlet, “Offer of Employment” explains that an employment offer can lead to litigation concerning wage-loss benefits. It should not be read as making acceptance or refusal consequence-free. The offer, medical evidence and existing claim documents need individual review.
This guide does not determine whether work is within restrictions, legally available or suitable, and it gives no universal response period. Check the actual instructions promptly. If the record is unclear, make the question specific rather than waiting for a general online example to decide it.
Use the job-description comparison guide for the task table and when pay changes after returning for a later pay-record question. The work and wages topic covers related preparation.