The employer cannot force an injured worker to use his or her vacation, personal, or sick days in place of receiving disability benefits in a workers’ compensation case.
Nonetheless, when an injured worker is not receiving workers’ compensation benefits because his or her claim has been denied, it may be necessary for him or her to use this approved time off in order to avoid violating the company’s policy for unexcused absences. Violating such might lead to the injured worker getting fired, and the Workers’ Compensation Act does not protect an injured worker from this happening.
The law also does not require employers to continue to offer vacation, personal, or sick days while the injured worker is off on total or partial disability. However, if you have a collective bargaining agreement, that agreement may require your employer to continue to offer these benefits.