Rehabilitation guidelines for employers
Issued under section 41 of the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988
Introduction
1. These guidelines are issued to rehabilitation authorities (employers) in relation to the performance and exercise of their functions and powers under Part III - Rehabilitation of the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 (SRC Act). The guidelines are issued by Comcare under section 41 and a rehabilitation authority shall comply with these guidelines.
Object
2. The object of the guidelines is to assist employers to develop an effective approach to the rehabilitation of their injured employees consistent with their obligations under the SRC Act.
Definitions
3. In these guidelines:
"Approved Rehabilitation Provider" means a rehabilitation program provider approved by Comcare under section 34F, 34L or 34H to provide rehabilitation services
"Case Manager" means the employee delegated under section 41A to coordinate the rehabilitation program and return to work process on behalf of the employer
"Employer" means the Rehabilitation Authority
"Employee" means a person with a compensable injury (refer section 5)
"Rehabilitation Authority" in effect means the employing authority (refer section 4)
"Injury" means an injury or disease that is compensable under the Act
"Return to Work Plan" means the injured employee's plan for return or maintenance at work, setting out goals, services to be provided, responsibilities and timeframes and issued under section 37 as a determination for a rehabilitation program
"SRC Act" means the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988
"Suitable duties" means negotiated tasks which are appropriate to the employee's capacities, skills and experience and in consideration of medical limitations - this may involve modification to duties, alternative duties or modified hours while on a return to work plan
Rehabilitation Policy
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Employers should have in place a rehabilitation policy to assist them to perform and exercise these functions and powers and so achieve appropriate return to work outcomes for their injured employees. The rehabilitation policy should outline the commitment of the employer on how injuries are to be managed by the organisation. As the rehabilitation authority the employer has specific statutory powers and functions under Part III of the SRC Act. These include arranging for a rehabilitation assessment, determining that a rehabilitation program should be undertaken, arranging with an approved rehabilitation program provider for the provision of a suitable program and ensuring suitable employment is provided. |
4. The policy should be:
- developed in consultation with employees
- endorsed by senior management, communicated throughout the organisation and accessible to all employees
- tailored to the specific requirements of the organisation.
5. The policy should:
- aim to achieve the safe and timely return to work of injured employees through early and appropriate intervention
- clearly commit the organisation to providing suitable duties wherever possible in order to maintain the employee at work or enable an early return to work
- state the accountabilities of managers in relation to rehabilitation programs and the provision of suitable duties
- state the rights and responsibilities of employees in respect of rehabilitation programs
- outline the assistance available to help an injured employee to remain at or return to work
- provide for ongoing communication with the employee while absent from work in order that connection with the workplace can be maintained
- provide for monitoring the cost of workplace injury and evaluating rehabilitation program effectiveness
- describe the service delivery requirements of approved rehabilitation program providers
- provide for the evaluation of its implementation and update as necessary in order that it remains effective and achieves its aims.
Rehabilitation Case Management
| Effective coordination of rehabilitation is essential to achieve successful outcomes. Case managers are required to negotiate with senior management, line managers, employees, rehabilitation providers, medical practitioners and claims managers in relation to assisting injured employees return to work and have a delegated authority to establish a rehabilitation program under the SRC Act. |
6. Employers should ensure that people with case management responsibilities:
- have the skill, experience and influence to achieve effective return to work outcomes
- are provided with adequate training to undertake their role
- have senior management support to enable the provision of suitable duties
- have the relevant delegations under section 41A if they are making determinations for a rehabilitation assessment examination or rehabilitation program
- can refer to another delegated senior manager if a recommendation for suspension of compensation is required.
Rehabilitation Assessment
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An assessment for rehabilitation is performed by a suitably qualified person (such as an approved rehabilitation provider in consultation with the treating practitioner) or a medical practitioner (such as an occupational physician) or a panel. Its purpose is to provide information on whether a rehabilitation program is required and if so the appropriate services to be provided. An assessment should include an interview/examination with the injured employee and take into account the medical diagnosis and prognosis, the pre-injury duties, current capacities, the availability of suitable duties, consideration of workplace issues and any identified or potential barriers to the return to work process. Recommended services aim to facilitate maintenance at, or return to work of an injured employee. |
7. To enable effective rehabilitation, the employer should ensure there is a system in place for the early identification and notification of injury, and therefore decision, on whether a rehabilitation assessment is required. This system should be well communicated within the organisation and monitored for its effectiveness.
8. In accordance with the provisions of section 36 the employer can arrange for an assessment of an injured employee's capability of undertaking a rehabilitation program at any time. The reasons for initiating an assessment will vary depending on the individual case, however the triggers for such an assessment could include:
- any absence from work indicating a severe injury, especially an expected absence from work for 10 days or more
- the nature or circumstance of the injury being such that it alerts to a potentially complex case, such as a psychological, occupational overuse or soft tissue injury
- the medical evidence or prognosis suggests that there is a possibility of re-injury at work
- the employee has had a previous injury
- the work environment, including relationships with supervisors and co-workers, has contributed to the injury
- the employee has made a written request for an assessment.
Rehabilitation Program
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An occupational rehabilitation program is based on the principle that the employer, utilising established policies and procedures, can enable a coordinated return to work. The program is delivered consistent with medical advice and where necessary the use of a rehabilitation provider. Rehabilitation is focused on being workplace based and aimed at maintaining the injured employee within the workplace or returning them to appropriate employment in a timely, safe and cost efficient manner. Close communication and cooperation between the case manager, the injured employee, the supervisor and the treatment and rehabilitation providers enables the development of a coordinated return to work plan as part of the rehabilitation program. |
9. In selecting an approved rehabilitation provider for a rehabilitation program the employer should:
- ensure they have the required skills or specialist expertise to manage the particular case
- consider whether it would be beneficial to make arrangements with a preferred provider
- ensure services are acquired based on the organisation's procurement guidelines and procedures
- allow for the monitoring of the providers performance in terms of quality of service delivery, costs and progress reports and outcomes.
10. In considering the development of a return to work plan as part of a rehabilitation program, a return to work plan should:
- be developed in consultation with the injured employee and the treating medical practitioner
- be individualised, outcome-based and set out the steps to be followed in achieving the return to work
- be available to an employee with a work capacity (unless contraindicated, for example retired)
- be developed using appropriate expertise, such as approved rehabilitation provider's, where appropriate
- recognise the existing skills, experience and capabilities of the injured employee to enable suitable duties to be found
- if necessary utilise retraining and redeployment when it is not possible to return to previous duties.
11. Where an employer has a system for provision of in-house rehabilitation provider services the employer must gain approval from Comcare.
Suitable Employment (Refer sections 4 and 40 of the SRC Act )
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The key to achieving the early and successful return to work of an injured employee lies in the employer's willingness, ability and commitment to provide work within the capacities of the injured employee. This is a significant responsibility and critical to maximising the potential for a successful return to work. Perceptions of organisation support have a significant influence on return to work outcomes. Finding duties or ultimately suitable employment requires a constructive and creative approach with cooperation from line managers and commitment from senior managers. It increases the opportunity for an injured employee to remain at work or enables the employee to safely return to work sooner than would otherwise be possible. This helps to maintain the connection with work and the workplace and results in better return to work outcomes. While the case manager may have the role of coordinating the return to work this cannot be achieved without the active support and assistance of senior management and line managers in ensuring work options are made available. |
12. The employer has a duty to take all reasonable steps to provide suitable employment for an injured employee or to assist them to find such employment. The employer should:
- state in their rehabilitation policy their commitment to providing suitable duties wherever practicable
- develop a system that enables the early and safe return to work of their injured employees
13. Where the employer, other than a self-insurer, considers it is not practicable to provide the employee with suitable employment, the employer should outline to Comcare that it has undertaken a proper process for evaluating options and that a decision has been made by a relevant senior manager that providing suitable employment is not practicable.