Alaska is in a recession.  Trump is in the White House. We have idiots at the realm locally and nationally.  Everyone needs to be worried about hanging on to their employment all the time. Your employer doesn't have to have a reason to get rid of you. The only reason it's an issue here is the obvious fact the woman has cancer. Say she  is released to return to her regular job without restriction, they might use that release as an excuse to fire her tout de suite.  It would be an obvious and therefore stupid move, but it could be done. If her symptoms get worse thereafter or she gets depressed or significantly more depressed after being fired and  pdepending upon how stressful her job is - and if the stress is unusual for jobs of that type - she might be able to file a WC claim that her job stressors aggravated her cancer...but that would be a long shot.