Occupational rehabilitation

Workers who have a work accident or contract an occupational disease can access rehabilitation measures and services if they need them. These measures support the person's return to work and can be put in place as soon as the CNESST accepts an employment injury claim. 

Rehabilitation measures and the personal rehabilitation plan 

Prior to healing or stabilization of the employment injury

• The CNESST may grant rehabilitation measures that are appropriate for the worker's state of health with a view to their vocational or social reintegration. 

After healing or stabilization of the injury

• When the worker is entitled to rehabilitation, the CNESST prepares and implements a personal rehabilitation plan. 

This is done in collaboration with the worker and the employer, when the employer's participation is required. The plan may include a physical, social and vocational rehabilitation program. Each type of rehabilitation program has very specific objectives depending on the needs identified. 

The personal rehabilitation plan may be modified to take new circumstances into account. 

Participation in the rehabilitation measure or the personal rehabilitation plan 

When a worker fails or refuses to participate in a rehabilitation measure or a personal rehabilitation plan without a valid reason, the CNESST may:

• suspend or terminate the measure or the personal rehabilitation plan
• reduce or suspend payment of the income replacement indemnity

The CNESST may also issue an administrative monetary penalty to an employer who refuses to cooperate with the measures carried out in their establishment, unless they demonstrate that the measure imposes undue hardship (in French only) on them.

The CNESST may offer a worker who has suffered an employment injury job search support services.