Rehabilitation

Information from Comcare about rehabilitation under the Commonwealth workers' compensation scheme.

Contents:

Rehabilitation Guidelines for Employers
General Information
Information Sheet for Rehabilitation Authorities about Early Intervention Rehabilitation
RTW Management Systems Assessment Workbook
Avoiding potential conflict of interest in the provision of occupational rehabilitation services

Rehabilitation Guidelines for Employers

The Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 (SRC Act) provides for the safety, rehabilitation and compensation of work-injured employees in the Commonwealth jurisdiction and gives employers the responsibility and authority to manage the return to work of their injured employees.

Comcare has recently issued new rehabilitation guidelines for employers. These guidelines are issued under section 41 of the SRC Act. They are a legislative instrument for the purposes of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003, and were registered on 3 August 2005.

Part III of the SRC Act gives employers the authority to manage the return to work of their injured or ill employees. The guidelines are designed to assist employers to develop an effective approach to the rehabilitation of their injured employees consistent with their obligations under the SRC Act.

The new guidelines were developed through an extensive consultation process and replace the current guidelines which were issued in 1999. The new guidelines come into effect from 1 September 2005.

Building on the previous guidelines the new guidelines include explanatory notes and provide guidance on developing a rehabilitation policy, supporting the role of the rehabilitation case manager, issues for consideration in arranging a rehabilitation assessment, delivering rehabilitation programs and the employer’s duty to provide suitable employment.

The major changes are

• the inclusion of explanatory notes to support the guidelines
• expanded criteria under each of the sections
• a new requirement to report to Comcare where you have been unable to provide suitable duties to the employee

Additional copies of the Rehabilitation Policy Guidelines for Employers may be requested via email Comcare.Pubs@comcare.gov.au or by contacting Comcare on 1300 366 979.

Section 41 Rehabilitation Policy Guidelines [471 kb]

General Information

The Commonwealth workers’ compensation scheme and the Seacare scheme recognise the importance to both the employee and employer in achieving a return to work as quickly as possible. The SRC Act and the Seafarers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1992 promote this through processes and incentives such as the requirement for employers to provide suitable duties for injured employees, payments of rehabilitation expenses and compensation payments. The employer has the primary responsibility for the rehabilitation of injured employees and may engage an approved rehabilitation program provider to deliver a customised rehabilitation program for the employee. Further information on the role of each of the key parties is provided through the links below.

For best practice rehabilitation and return to work information for the maritime industry see the Seacare Authority website at www.seacare.gov.au.

Information Sheet for Rehabilitation Authorities about Early Intervention Rehabilitation
To advise rehabilitation authorities about Comcare's early intervention strategy, which encourages premium paying agencies to commence rehabilitation, for their injured employees, in some cases, before liability has been determined by the relevant authority under section 14 of the SRC Act 1988.

RTW Management Systems Assessment Workbook [566 kb]

A detailed assessment tool that allows the agency to undertake a comprehensive assessment of its rehabilitation policy and rehabilitation management systems. The tool will assist the agency to meet its legislative obligations and give pointers on better practice processes.

Jurisdictional Policy Advice 2003/03 - Avoiding potential conflict of interest in the provision of occupational rehabilitation services [74 kb]

This advice provides guidance to determining authorities on how rehabilitation authorities should avoid potential conflict of interest when engaging an approved rehabilitation provider.