Injured workers who are expected to return to work after temporary disability would be able to refuse a job that is not at the same employer or job site where they were when injured under a bill being considered in Oregon.
S.B. 1584, which is now with the Senate Committee on Labor and Business, would expand the reasons why a worker may refuse modified work duties without the termination of temporary total disability benefits.
Under current law a worker may refuse work if the commute is more than 50 miles from home, requires a commute that is “beyond the physical capacity of the worker” according to a doctor, or “is not consistent with common practice of the employer” at the time of injury.