Workplace injuries and illnesses resulting in job transfer or restriction in 2014

Workplace injuries and illnesses sometimes result in days away from work while a worker recovers, but not always. Often an employer may transfer a worker to a different job or restrict work duties until the worker recovers. More than half of cases in general merchandise stores resulted in job transfer or work restriction in 2014, rather than days away from work. By comparison, 34 percent of cases in waste management and remediation services and 41 percent of cases in hospitals resulted in job transfer or work restriction.

The nature of an injury or illness may affect whether it results in job transfer or work restriction or in days away from work. For example, in hospitals in 2014, 46 percent of cases involving sprains, strains, or tears resulted in job transfer or work restriction; that compares with 37 percent of cases involving soreness or pain. In general merchandise stores, the share of cases resulting in job transfer or work restriction varied little by the nature of the injury or illness.

Whether a workplace injury or illness results in days away from work or in job transfer or work restriction depends on several reasons. For example, more severe injuries or illnesses may result in days away from work. Employer policies may also play a role.

These data are from the Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities program. You can learn more about a BLS pilot study on cases of job transfer or work restriction in six selected industries. For details about cases involving days away from work, see "Nonfatal Occupational Injuries and Illnesses Requiring Days away from Work, 2014" (HTML) (PDF).