Rehabilitation and return to work - Workers FAQs
Rehabilitation and return to work - Employers FAQs
Rehabilitation and return to work - Workers FAQs
My workmate was injured. Now that he's coming back what support should we offer him?
Your employer (and your workplace) has a responsibility to cooperate in the process of rehabilitating your workmate. You should also be aware of how disabilities affect people's capacity to work but you should also respect your workmate's privacy.
A family member was injured at work. Is there anything we can do to help him?
Be understanding about how the injury is affecting him. If the family member is willing, you could attend medical appointments with him.
Do you offer social support or counselling for people who work with someone who died at work?
WorkCover generally does not fund this type of support as it only pays for expenses that were incurred by the worker. The employer may offer some support, particularly if your health and safety representative requested it.
Do you offer social support or counselling for people who work with someone who died as a result of a suicide?
WorkCover generally does not fund this type of support as it only pays for expenses that were incurred by the worker. The employer may offer some support, particularly if your health and safety representative requested it.
Why are there so many people involved in my case file? What do they all do?
Generally, you will have only one case manager who coordinates all activity on your claim. There are many people who provide services and support if you are injured at work though. For an alphabetical list of individuals or organisations view return to work roles.
Can I bring a Union Rep to a case management meeting?
Yes, you are entitled to bring appropriate support to any meeting about your claim.
What do I do if I'm not happy with my rehabilitation plan?
You will be asked to sign off the rehabilitation plan, so make sure you are happy with it first. However, you are not legally obliged to sign the plan and if you have a legitimate complaint, you can appeal to the Workers Compensation Tribunal about the nature of the rehabilitation services provided.
Rehabilitation and return to work - Employers FAQs
When do wages begin again?
Once a doctor has certified that the worker is able to work, even on restricted or part-time duties, the employer pays for that component of the wages for the time that the worker is actually working. Generally, you will pay the full amount and be reimbursed by the claims agent.
If someone comes back to work on a trial period do their WorkCover payments finish that day?
The answer to this question depends on the capacity of the worker to earn equal to or greater than their average weekly earnings. If the worker's duties as part of the work trial are not their normal duties the worker must be paid an appropriate wage or salary for those duties. This may result in a top-up income maintenance payment being made.
Someone is returning to work, what should I do?
You have a responsibility to cooperate in the process of rehabilitating your staff member. You should also be aware of how disabilities affect people's capacity to work, and work together with the rehabilitation provider, treating medical provider and claims agent. For more information view rehabilitation responsibilities for employers.
Can we apply normal disciplinary procedure to someone on WorkCover?
A person with a work-related disability is subject to the same normal administrative procedures that apply to all workers.