Lump-sum settlement of workers compensation claims encourage injured employees to return to work, the Workers Compensation Research Institute reported Wednesday. Whether lump-sum settlements discourage or encourage employees to return to work post injury has been a topic of debate, the WCRI said. Some observers believe that receiving a large, lump sum delays returning to work as employees feel less immediate need for income while other observers say the settlements provide a sense of claims closure that motivates restarting careers.