Answer: Yes, so long as the work is within the worker's assessed abilities to perform.

The duty to cooperate and maintain employment through assignment of alternate or modified work is a two-way street that places duties on both employers and workers. When a worker is injured, the employer can review the their circumstances and abilities, and offer them alternative work, so long as it does not cause further harm to the worker, interfere with their recovery, or involve activities they are not qualified or trained to perform.

Assessing an injured worker may involve a simple first aid assessment if the injury is minor and does not require a referral to medical aid. However, in most cases, an assessment by a physician or doctor is required to ensure the worker can perform the tasks without risk of further injury.

If a worker is required to complete training for their alternate or modified work, the employer is required to pay them for the time spent on the training.

Even if suitable work is made available and the worker is deemed to be capable of performing it without risk of injury, the workers may still decline the work assignment. However, this may make them ineligible for compensation other than paying for treatment of their injury, and no wage support may be offered. In other words, if a worker rejects an offer of alternative or modified work, they cannot register a WorkSafeBC claim and expect payment of wages.