An important part in deciding whether you are ready to return to work is identifying the essential duties of your job. In other words, which tasks do you have to do yourself? These are tasks that cannot be given to others. Knowing your job’s essential duties will help your doctor decide if you are ready to return to work. It will also help your employer decide if you can come back soon, with some of your duties modified or given to others.
Start with estimating a typical workday. Ask yourself what you do every 15 minutes in a job. Sometimes the same job title can mean different things in different contexts.
For example, a sales job could have different tasks depending on the workplace. In one workplace, it could mean only talking on the phone and, in another, it could mean travelling all over the province to speak to customers in person.
To identify your essential and non-essential job tasks, complete a free job analysis form.