Return to Work Program Modified Duty Job Bank Worksheet

This worksheet is used to maintain a pre-compiled bank of modified-duty tasks that can be matched to temporary work restrictions during a return-to-work process. It captures the task details, physical demand level, and which restrictions the task can accommodate. That makes it easier for HR and managers to identify suitable assignments without rebuilding the list each time.

HR, safety, workers’ compensation, or a designated return-to-work coordinator should usually maintain the worksheet, with managers submitting task details for their departments. The reviewer should confirm the task description and physical demand fields are accurate before approval. In larger organizations, department leaders may own the content while HR controls the final review.

Update it whenever a task changes, a department adds a new light-duty option, or a restriction pattern reveals a gap in the current bank. It is also worth reviewing on a regular cadence, such as quarterly or after a cluster of leave cases, so outdated tasks do not stay in circulation. The goal is to keep the bank aligned with actual work that can still be assigned.

The template is designed to match common work restrictions such as lifting limits, standing limits, repetitive-motion limits, and other physical constraints. The restriction notes field can capture additional limitations that do not fit neatly into the standard fields. If a restriction cannot be evaluated clearly, the task should be reviewed before assignment.

A common mistake is describing tasks too vaguely, which makes it hard to tell whether they truly fit a restriction. Another issue is marking too many fields as required or leaving out the actual physical demand details, such as lifting and standing requirements. The worksheet works best when each task is specific enough to be compared against a medical or work-restriction note.

Yes. You can add department-specific task categories, location fields, shift information, or supervisor sign-off fields if your workflow needs them. Keep the core physical demand and restriction-matching fields intact so the worksheet remains useful across roles and cases.

It can be used as a standalone worksheet or as a source of structured data for a case management, HRIS, or spreadsheet workflow. The field names are organized so they can be mapped into a database or imported into a tracking system. If you integrate it, keep the approval trail and review dates intact for traceability.

An ad hoc email thread makes it easy to miss task details, approval status, or the exact restriction match. This worksheet gives you a repeatable structure for comparing tasks, documenting review decisions, and keeping a usable bank of options. It also reduces the chance that managers rely on memory instead of a current, documented task list.