Whether you spend your workday at a construction site or sitting behind a desk, you rely on your wrists to get your job done. A wrist injury could jeopardize this, making it impossible for you to work. There are some alternatives to explore, though, before you miss a lot of work and pay.

Accommodating Wrist Injuries

Depending on the type of job that you do, your employer could offer certain accommodations that will let you continue working as your wrist heals. If, for instance, you spend a lot of time typing at a desk, you could use language recognition software that essentially types whatever you read into the computer’s microphone.

If you work at a more physically demanding job, then your employer might move you to a different position while your injury heals. Instead of working construction, you could answer phones, do light security, or anything else that doesn’t involve using your injured wrist.

Short-Term Disability

If your employer cannot find a way for you to stay at work while you recover from your injury, then you should consider applying for short-term disability. Your employer, after all, isn’t going to pay you for time that you don’t work. Some employers, however, might let you use your sick days and vacation time. In many occasions, though, even that does not cover the time that it takes to heal.

Short-term disability could help you avoid the financial distress of losing work for several weeks. If the injury happened on the job, you should also consider filing for worker’s compensation.