Work comp: DLI's Vocational Rehabilitation unit (VRU)

About DLI's Vocational Rehabilitation unit

The Department of Labor and Industry's Vocational Rehabilitation unit (VRU) provides vocational rehabilitation services to injured workers whose claims have been denied by the employer/insurer. The legislative rationale was labeled "early (vocational rehabilitation) intervention" to provide needed vocational assistance to injured workers before, rather than after, a determination of liability by the courts.

• View/print DLI's Vocational Rehabilitation unit flyer

These services are provided or coordinated by vocational rehabilitation counselors who are registered as qualified rehabilitation consultants (QRCs). Injured workers have the right to choose a QRC, to take an active part in developing their own written rehabilitation plan and to comment on or rate the services provided by VRU.

QRCs are neutral parties in the rehabilitation process. They are professionals who have knowledge of medical factors, local labor markets and statutes concerning rehabilitation within Minnesota's workers' compensation law.

Although all injured workers are eligible, the Vocational Rehabilitation unit primarily serves claims where liability is denied by the insurer. The unit has 10 QRCs in six regional locations throughout Minnesota.

• Learn more about our team

Request a consultation

• Referring an injured worker to VRU in Campus (preferred method)

• Request a consultation with a VRU QRC by mail or fax

If you are an injured worker whose workers' compensation claim is denied or there is a dispute about the medical causation of your injury,  you or your attorney need to file a Claim Petition or Objection to Discontinuance form to find out if you qualify for VRU services.  In the case of a denied claim or a dispute about medical causation, to qualify for services provided by VRU, the injured worker or their attorney needs to initiate a dispute by filing a Claim Petition or Objection to Discontinuance form with the court.

If you don't have a work injury, but are disabled and need rehabilitation services, you may contact the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) or your local DEED WorkForce Center to request the services of a DEED counselor.

Where to send documents

Documents for DLI's Vocational Rehabilitation unit should be:

• faxed to 651-284-5734 (all offices); or

• mailed to Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry, Vocational Rehabilitation, 443 Lafayette Road N., St. Paul, MN  55155.

VRU offices

Bemidji

616 America Ave. N.W., Suite 300
Bemidji, MN  56601
Phone:  651-284-5038 or 888-772-5500 (all offices)
Fax:  651-284-5734 (all offices)

Duluth

525 Lake Ave. S., Suite 330
Duluth, MN  55802
Phone:  651-284-5038 or 888-772-5500 (all offices)
Fax:  651-284-5734 (all offices)

Mankato

12 Civic Center Plaza, Suite 1650
Mankato, MN  56001
Phone:  651-284-5038 or 888-772-5500 (all offices)
Fax:  651-284-5734 (all offices)

Rochester

2118 Campus Drive S.E., Suite 100
Rochester, MN  55904
Phone:  651-284-5038 or 888-772-5500 (all offices)
Fax:  651-284-5734 (all offices)

St. Cloud

3400 First Street N., Suite 405
St. Cloud, MN  56303
Phone:  651-284-5038 or 888-772-5500 (all offices)
Fax:  651-284-5734 (all offices)

St. Paul

443 Lafayette Road N.
St. Paul, MN  55155

Phone:  651-284-5038 or 888-772-5500 (all offices)
Fax:  651-284-5734 (all offices)