POLICY TITLE:REHABILITATION AND RETURN TO WORK POLICY
ADMINISTERED BY: GENERAL MANAGER, HUMAN RESOURCES
APPLICABILITY: ALL EMPLOYEES
Context
The rehabilitation and return to work of employees at Global Star Enterprise (GSE) recovering from illness or injury, will conform to ‘best practice’ standards and comply with relevant legislative and regulatory requirements. This policy covers activities such as reporting illness and injury cases, processing workers compensation claims, injury evaluation, deciding alternate duties and designing return to work programs.
GSE Commitment
GSE is committed to the provision of a safe and healthy working environment, and to the effective management of any occupational illness or injuries which do occur. GSE recognises that management has a responsibility to assist workers to remain at work or to return to work as soon as is safely possible following a work-related injury or illness.
GSE will undertake to do this by:
- Ensuringprocedures and practices encourage consultation, co-operation, and co-ordination; and are standardised throughout the organisation
- Ensuring that injury management activities commence as soon as possible after injury and every effort is made to provide suitable and meaningful duties consistent with the nature of the injury/illness, after seeking appropriate medical assessment
- Providing support throughout the return to work process to minimise the effects of the injury/illness and ensure that an early return to work is a normal practice and expectation
- Preparing a return to work plan and providing suitable duties/employment for an injured employee as soon as is safely possible, as an integral part of the return to work process
- Consulting with employees and where applicable any union representing them to ensure that our return-to-work program operates effectively
- Ensuring that participation in a return-to-work program will not, of itself, prejudice an injured employee
- Ensuring the confidentiality of an employee’s information in relation to work-related injury or illness and the return to work process
- Modifying work practices, duties or equipment, where practicable, in order to assist employees to remain at work or to return to suitable employment after injury, and to prevent re-injury or repeat injuries
- Reviewing this program on a regular basis in the light of industry best practice
- Allocating adequate resources to ensure the objectives of this policy are met.
Related Documents
- Policy "Selecting suitable duties for injured workers"
- Injury Register
- Return to Work Plan (template)
Procedure
1.When an injury occurs
1.1It is the employee's responsibility to notify their supervisor of any work-related injury/illness as soon as is practicable.
1.2Once an injury is notified GSE will ensure that the injured person receives appropriate first aid and/or medical treatment as soon as possible and will conduct an investigation to prevent a recurrence.
1.3GSE will notify their insurer of any significant injury within 48 hours of the above and within 7 days for any other type of injury. Injuries will be recorded in the GSE Injury Register file as soon as practicable after notification.
2.Follow-up after injury
2.1The designated Return-to-Work Coordinator will cooperate with the insurer and consult with the worker and the treating doctor in developing and complying with an injury management plan for an injured worker.
2.2The Return-to-Work Coordinator will maintain a case file and protect the confidentiality of the information on this file.
3. Finding suitable duties
3.1When the injured employee is, according to medical assessment, capable of return to work, an individual return to work plan will be developed offering suitable duties which will be identified after consultation with relevant parties and will be specified in writing. Appropriate assistance will be given to workers from a non-English speaking background and to those permanently unable to return to pre-injury duties.
3.2The return to work plan, the workplace, work systems and tasks will be modified as necessary, to the extent practicable, to assist with a worker’s recovery and return to work.
4.Involving a rehabilitation provider
4.1The following accredited rehabilitation provider(s) are available to assist when required in the return to work of those employees who suffer a workplace injury or illness:
______
______
______
4.2Injured employees will, however, retain the right to nominate an accredited provider of their own choice.
5.Consultation
5.1Employees will be informed of their rights and responsibilities and of GSE’s rehabilitation policy and program. Such consultation will be effected through Occupational Health & Safety Committees/Representatives, and the relevant unions of this organisation.
6.Disputes
6.1GSE accepts the need to consult with employees and any union representing them, regarding disputes and to contact the insurer, WorkCover, or an Injury Management Consultant.
Glossary
Workers compensation
Compulsory employer financed, 'no-fault', occupational disabilities program for the treatment of work-related illness or injury.
Return to work coordinator
Person or organisation responsible for the management of workers compensation claims including negotiation, legal compliance and reporting responsibilities.
Injury management
This term encompasses all the activities associated with ensuring the safe and early return to work of an injured worker to the workplace.
Injury management program
Developed by the insurer, the Injury Management Program is the “umbrella” with which an employer’s return to work program must be consistent (NSW). It is a coordinated and managed program that integrates all aspects of injury management including treatment, rehabilitation, retraining, claims management and employment management practices.
Return to work procedures
Established by the employer, the return to work procedures includes rehabilitation policy and obligations and is developed in consultation with workers and respective unions. Sets out how injuries/illness will be managed in the workplace. It is recommended that the RTW procedures be reviewed every two years or when a need for review is indicated, for example, a change in the legislation or when problems are identified. The timeframe for reporting injuries will form part of the Return to Work Program.
Rehabilitation policy
The overall statement of intent, and philosophy, of the employer. It sets out the organisation’s commitment to the process of injury management. It also mentions the importance of consultation and cooperation with agreed procedures. In best practice organisations, the rehabilitation policies include brief references to the systems and procedures to be employed, and the key players and their duties.
Injury management plan
This is developed by the insurer in consultation with the worker, employer and treating doctor. Development of the plan must commence within three (3) days of being notified of a significant injury. It sets out the plan relating to a specific individual, and is an evolving document.
Significant injury
A significant injury is when an injured worker cannot undertake their usual duties and/or normal hours for a continuous period of more than a specified number of calendar days (which varies across jurisdictions).
Return to work plan (sometimes known as rehabilitation plan or program)
The RTW plan is a ‘living’ document, agreed to by all parties and aimed at achieving ‘suitable employment’ for the injured worker. The plan outlines ‘suitable duties’, with restrictions and details about how these duties will be monitored and reviewed at the workplace.
Suitable duties (also known as alternative, selected or light duties)
Work that can be done by the injured worker, while recovering from injury; if the worker is not fit for the usual duties. Suitable duties can include parts of the job the worker was doing before being injured; the same job but on reduced hours, or different duties altogether.
Rehabilitation provider
Providers may include an internal employee (return to work coordinator/rehab coordinator, case manager) or external consultant (accredited rehabilitation provider or consultant). For example, Health professionals who provide rehabilitation services to injured workers and their employers. In NSW they are engaged in a small minority of complex cases; in some other States they have a much wider role.
WorkCover agents or claims agents
In some States return to work coordinators need to liaise with WorkCover agents or claims agents (as opposed to the insurer) in relation to injury claims.
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