The Truth about TAW
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by Howard
TAW = Temporary Alternative Work
It’s what happens when an employee suffers a workplace injury or illness and is given work restrictions. The company may decide you can still work with your injury, but they may modify your work assignment to comply with a doctor’s recommendation.
Often when this happens, a worker’s pay rate and work hours (i.e. limiting overtime) are modified as well. I’ve heard many reports from other workers - and this past week, I experienced it myself - that UPS management attempts to discourage medical treatment for workplace injuries by informing workers of the possibility of losing wages while on a modified work assignment.
What they might not tell you is you’re entitled to extra compensation to help make up the difference between your normal pay and your TAW pay. That’s under Pennsylvania Workers Compensation law.
If the company modifies your work or pay rate in a way that reduces your wages, as the victim of a workplace injury or illness you have the right to be compensated for that wage reduction. It’s just one of the many rights you’ll learn more about if you get a chance to read the Guide to PA Workers Comp published by Willig, Williams and Davidson.
Too many of us get bullied by management in this and other ways. They have a vested interest in not spending money on injured workers, but we can make sure they have an even bigger interest in making sure injured workers are properly taken care of. We can do this by educating ourselves as to our rights at work.
If you have questions about your rights as an injured worker, you can contact Willig, Williams and Davidson to get more information by clicking here.
Filed under: rights
