If you are awarded permanent total disability, you may not engage in any employment whatsoever unless you were awarded the compensation under a statutory rule that applies to very few injured workers. Specifically, if you suffered the loss of two specific body parts (both hands, both arms, both feet, both legs, both eyes) then you qualify for disability by statutory rule, and in only that case are you allowed to work and earn money. These cases, however, are very rare and most cases do not fall into this category.