Q: Can injury exacerbation at work become workers' comp case if leave denied against medical advice?
I am a federal employee who sustained an injury outside of work. My doctor declared me unfit to work for 2 weeks, but my employer is requiring me to work against medical advice. Returning to work has prevented my injury from healing and seems to be causing more of an issue. Additionally, the medication I am on makes me unfit for duty due to extreme drowsiness and lack of alertness. I submitted medical documentation, but my employer denied my leave and insists I must report to work, stating there is no other leave entitlement available. Communication about the denial was done via phone call, and they refuse to put it in writing. My questions are: if my injury worsens or is exacerbated because of work, does it then become a workers' compensation case? Also, if I make a mistake because of the medication, can I be penalized even though they were warned?
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