I have recently fractured my scaphoid and have been signed off work for 4-5 weeks by an Orthopaedic surgeon.
I am a clinician and my employer has contacted me and requested that I return to work on non clinical duties.
I am unsure if this is a reasonable request and it's implication on insurance etc
I think that it depends on several factors. First, is this a worker's comp injury? If so, then it's a whole horse of a different color concerning your rights as well as what they can ask you to do legally regarding returning to work. For instance, I know that they can not "create a job" to force you to return to work or force you to do a job that is beyond or below your scope of job duties. An example would be to assign a registered nurse to sit and sort company holiday invitations or to make a waitress sit in a chair and chop onions all day because the restrictions said she/he couldn't stand for long periods of time.
If it's not work related, then I am pretty sure that they would still have to abide by the medical restrictions that your doctor has placed upon you, if any. I think that the best thing to do is to get your doctor to write you a specific "doctor's excuse" regarding what your limitations are and whether it's medically advisable for you to perform any work related duties at this time or until a specific date. Often, the doctor will provide an "excuse" that simply states that you are under his care for whatever it is, are unable to return to work at this time, and then list the date of your next follow up examination. You can easily get an excuse such as this regardless if it's a worker's comp injury and if I'm not mistaken, I don't think that they can retaliate against you if you have a valid doctor's excuse whatever the illness/injury.
There's also the FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act) that includes being out of work for various personal and family related illnesses/injuries where legally you can not be terminated, demoted, etc.......for 3 months OR lose insurance or other benefits as long as the required premiums are paid. At any rate, I hope that you make a speedy recovery and that things work out in your favor at your place of employment.
