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BLS Definitions

06 Oct, 2026 WorkersCompensation.com

                               

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) tracks several severity measures through its Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII). [bls.gov], [bls.gov]

DAFW = Days Away From Work

A DAFW case is a workplace injury or illness serious enough that the employee misses one or more days of work after the day of the incident. BLS has historically published detailed case data for these cases. [bls.gov], [wwwn.cdc.gov]

For RTW purposes, DAFW is often the closest publicly available proxy for disability duration because it measures time lost from work. [bls.gov], [wwwn.cdc.gov]

DJTR = Days of Job Transfer or Restriction

DJTR cases involve employees who remain employed but are transferred to other duties or have work restrictions because of a work-related injury or illness. [bls.gov], [wwwn.cdc.gov]

This metric is particularly valuable for evaluating modified-duty and transitional-duty programs. [bls.gov], [wwwn.cdc.gov]

DART = Days Away, Restricted, or Transferred

DART combines:

  • Days Away From Work (DAFW)
  • Days of Job Transfer or Restriction (DJTR)

BLS states that DART measures the total cases involving days away from work and/or restricted or transferred work activity. [bls.gov], [wwwn.cdc.gov]

For employers, DART is often a broader indicator of injury impact than lost-time alone. [bls.gov], [wwwn.cdc.gov]

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