Overview
An injured employee may be eligible for additional workers' compensation benefits while actively participating in a vocational rehabilitation program recognized by Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services (IVRS).
IVRS
For information about IVRS, click here.
Amount of Benefit
An injured employee may receive a $100 weekly payment in addition to any other benefit payments while participating in a vocational rehabilitation program recognized by IVRS.
Duration of Benefit
An injured employee may receive up to 13 weeks of the vocational rehabilitation program benefit.
The Iowa Workers' Compensation Commissioner may extend an injured worker's vocational rehabilitation benefit for an additional 13 weeks if the circumstances indicate that a continuation of training will in fact accomplish rehabilitation.
Qualifying Disability
In order to be eligible for the vocational rehabilitation program benefit, an employee must:
- Have sustained a permanent partial or permanent total disability for which workers' compensation is payable under Iowa Code Chapter 85; and
- Be unable to return to gainful employment because of such disability.
Employees with shoulder injuries do not qualify for the benefit
Employees who sustain a compensable work injury to their shoulder who cannot return to gainful employment are not eligible for the vocational rehabilitation program benefit unless they have sustained any injury to another body part that allows them to qualify.
Employees who sustain a shoulder injury arising out of and in the course of employment that results in permanent partial disability may be eligible for the vocational training and education program.
For information about the vocational training and education program, click here.
Other types of benefits
For information about other types of workers' compensation benefits under Iowa law, click here.
Iowa Law & Agency Orders
Nothing on this page supersedes or changes any provision of the Iowa Code or Iowa Administrative Code; decision issued by Iowa courts, the Iowa Workers' Compensation Commissioner or a deputy commissioner; or order issued by the Iowa Division of Workers' Compensation (DWC).