If a work injury stops you from returning to your old job, the workers’ comp system offers a path to rebuild your career. Vocational rehabilitation plays a big role in helping you find new work when your injury limits what you can do. It’s meant to support your transition, not leave you stuck.
When does vocational rehabilitation come into play?
You might qualify for vocational rehabilitation if your injury causes a permanent disability and your employer doesn’t offer you a job that fits your work restrictions. In these cases, you can receive a Supplemental Job Displacement Benefit (SJDB). This comes in the form of a voucher you can use for retraining, skill certification, or education.
What can you do with the voucher?
The voucher can be worth up to $6,000 and helps cover training costs, tools, tuition, and even licensing fees. You can also use it for career counseling or resume help. This benefit gives you the chance to start over in a new job field that works with your abilities. While the money won’t go directly to you, it pays the schools and providers you choose.
Are there limits on how and when to use it?
You usually receive the voucher within 60 days after your disability becomes permanent and your employer doesn’t make a qualifying offer of work. You must use it within two years of receiving it or five years from the date of injury, whichever comes later. If you miss the deadline, you lose the benefit.
Vocational rehabilitation through workers’ comp doesn’t guarantee a new job, but it gives you the tools to become employable again. If your injury closed one door, this benefit helps you open another, on your terms.