A:Your employer may not force you to use PTO or sick time as a means of discouraging you from filing a workers' compensation claim, however this may be your only option to continue being paid until your your claim is approved. Following a workplace injury, you may not receive workers’ compensation benefits immediately. In some cases, your claim may even be denied. Your employer may tell you to use your state-mandated/employer-provided sick time so you can continue being paid while you are unable to work. Once this time is exhausted, if your workers' comp claim still has yet to be approved, using your accrued paid time off (PTO) may be the only way to continue receiving wages while you are out of work.