1. Except as otherwise provided in this section, an injured employee is not eligible for vocational rehabilitation services, unless:

(a) The treating physician or chiropractor approves the return of the injured employee to work but imposes permanent restrictions that prevent the injured employee from returning to the position that the employee held at the time of his or her injury;

(b) The injured employee’s employer does not offer employment that:

(1) The employee is eligible for considering the restrictions imposed pursuant to paragraph (a);

(2) Provides a gross wage that is equal to or greater than 80 percent of the gross wage that the employee was earning at the time of injury; and

(3) Has the same employment benefits as the position of the employee at the time of his or her injury; and

(c) The injured employee is unable to return to gainful employment with any other employer at a gross wage that is equal to or greater than 80 percent of the gross wage that the employee was earning at the time of his or her injury.

2. If the treating physician or chiropractor imposes permanent restrictions on the injured employee for the purposes of paragraph (a) of subsection 1, he or she shall specify in writing:

(a) The medically objective findings upon which his or her determination is based; and

(b) A detailed description of the restrictions.

The treating physician or chiropractor shall deliver a copy of the findings and the description of the restrictions to the insurer.

3. If there is a question as to whether the restrictions imposed upon the injured employee are permanent, the employee may receive vocational rehabilitation services until a final determination concerning the duration of the restrictions is made.

4. Vocational rehabilitation services must cease as soon as the injured employee is no longer eligible for the services pursuant to subsection 1.

5. An injured employee is not entitled to vocational rehabilitation services solely because the position that the employee held at the time of his or her injury is no longer available.

6. An injured employee or the dependents of the injured employee are not entitled to accrue or be paid any money for vocational rehabilitation services during the time the injured employee is incarcerated.

7. Any injured employee eligible for compensation other than accident benefits may not be paid those benefits if the injured employee refuses counseling, training or other vocational rehabilitation services offered by the insurer. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 616B.028 and 616B.029, an injured employee shall be deemed to have refused counseling, training and other vocational rehabilitation services while the injured employee is incarcerated.

8. If an insurer cannot locate an injured employee for whom it has ordered vocational rehabilitation services, the insurer may close his or her claim 21 days after the insurer determines that the employee cannot be located. The insurer shall make a reasonable effort to locate the employee.

9. The reappearance of the injured employee after his or her claim has been closed does not automatically reinstate his or her eligibility for vocational rehabilitation benefits. If the employee wishes to re-establish his or her eligibility for those benefits, the injured employee must file a written application with the insurer to reinstate the claim. The insurer shall reinstate the employee’s claim if good cause is shown for the employee’s absence.

(Added to NRS by 1973, 362; A 1979, 1042; 1981, 1459; 1985, 1541; 1991, 491, 2401; 1993, 703; 1997, 1441, 3350; 1999, 444; 2001, 1903; 2003, 1676)