- Definitions
- Roles
- Payment of Wages
- Grievance Procedure
- Flowchart of Workplace Rehabilitation Process (doc, 49kb)
- Workplace Rehabilitation Consent Form (doc, 30kb)
Definitions
Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation of a worker is a process designed to ensure the worker’s earliest possible return to work or to maximise the worker’s independent functioning. Rehabilitation involves the provision of approved services, services provided by a registered person, suitable duties programs or necessary and reasonable aids or equipment to an injured worker. All Queensland employers must take all reasonable steps to assist or provide their injured workers with rehabilitation for the period for which the worker is entitled to compensation.
Standard for Rehabilitation
The rehabilitation provided to our staff will meet the standard outlined in the Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Regulation 2003.
Suitable Duties Programs
These specially selected duties at the workplace are a means of providing a monitored and graduated return to normal duties. They are:
- Matched to the capabilities of the worker;
- Time limited and regularly upgraded according to his/her level of recovery and treating medical doctor advice.
The following issues must be considered when choosing suitable duties:
- The worker’s pre-injury duties, age education, skills and work experience and nature of the incapacity:
- Any restrictions and limitation specified by the treating doctor, who must also document approval for plans and amendments; and
- The duties must be meaningful and have regard for the objectives of the worker’s rehabilitation
- The duties will be reviewed on a regular basis and the program progressively upgraded, consistent with the worker’s recovery
Roles
The Injured Worker
Responsibilities:
- To apply for worker’s compensation where appropriate
- To advise their doctor of the availability of workplace rehabilitation
- To actively participate in workplace rehabilitation
- To maintain communication with QUT Rehabilitation Advisor about relevant issues related to their compensation claim
- To attend appointments for medical reviews and therapy treatments outside your scheduled working hours to maximise benefits from rehabilitation, particularly a Suitable Duties Program. On occasions when appointments during the normal working day cannot be avoided:
- Seek prior approval from the area supervisor and
- Negotiate leave for flexitime to cover the time taken for the appointment or
- Request a medical certificate to cover the time taken for the appointment and submit with an ‘Application for Leave’ form to HR Client Services, with copies to the appropriate areas.
Rights:
- To workers’ compensation for work-related injuries accepted by WorkCover Qld
- To choose their own doctor
- To authorise QUT Rehabilitation Advisor to contact their doctor for advice on suitable duties
- To confidential, safe keeping of this personal information
- To be provided with suitable duties, if practicable
- To be consulted in the development of a suitable duties plan
- To union representation if so desired
- To ask for a Q-COMP review of certain insurer’s decisions with which they do not agree (Act s540)
- To have access to an impartial grievance mechanism, which is accessed in the first instance by raising the grievance with the Rehabilitation Advisor for resolution or escalation.
The Role of the Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator (RRTWC)
Note: At QUT this function is part of the role of the REHABILITATION ADVISOR
- To ensure an efficient system exists for immediate reporting of injuries to enable early worker contact regarding rehabilitation, to comply with employer’s duties to report injury to the insurer and to ensure confidentiality of information received.
- To develop, coordinate and monitor workplace rehabilitation strategies for injured workers, including developing suitable duties plans in consultation with injured workers undertaking rehabilitation.
- To educate all workers about the workplace rehabilitation policy and procedures and what to expect when an injury occurs. To educate line managers, supervisors and workers regarding their role and responsibilities for rehabilitation. To ensure education is part of the new staff induction process. Where possible and on behalf of the employer, to ensure rehabilitation for a worker is coordinated with and understood by line managers, supervisors and co-workers.
- To promote this organisation’s workplace rehabilitation program internally to maintain staff’s commitment, and externally, to local doctors so as to build a good working relationship and gain their trust and assistance.
- To keep a file for each worker undertaking rehabilitation and to ensure confidentiality of both verbal and written information.
- To keep accurate and objective case notes of all communications, actions and decisions, and reasons for actions and decisions and sign and date each notation.
- To ensure currency of the workplace rehabilitation policy & procedures and their own rehabilitation and return to work coordinator accreditation.
- To provide injured workers with the opportunity to give feedback on the rehabilitation system and document this feedback
The Role of Supervisors /Team Leaders
- To contact Rehabilitation Advisor, Health & Safety Advisory Services as soon as possible if any staff member has a work related injury requiring medical attention
- To actively assist the rehabilitation and return to work coordinator in identifying and coordinating suitable duties.
- To adjust workplace procedures and rosters to enable successful implementation of the suitable duties plan.
- To monitor the injured worker’s progress in relation to suitable duties.
- To generally offer support and encouragement of any injured worker.
The Roles of Co-workers
- to generally offer support and encouragement to injured workers
Payment of Wages
WorkCover Queensland will determine the liability of a claim, ie. Accept or reject application.
QUT will pay sick or other accrued leave to a worker while the claim is being determined. Upon acceptance of a claim, leave will be reimbursed. If the claim is accepted, QUT will pay worker directly and seek reimbursement from WorkCover Queensland.
For workers on a suitable duties program with reduced hours, it is essential to advise QUT Rehabilitation Unit (Phone: 89271) of the details of hours worked.
Grievance Procedures
For injured workers with accepted liability by WorkCover Qld:
If the injured worker is unhappy with a decision made at the workplace regarding their claim, they can raise the matter with the Rehabilitation Advisor. If the matter is unresolved they can request the manager review the decision. If they remain unhappy with the decision following internal review they may request that the WorkCover Queensland case manager becomes involved to resolve the dispute. If either an injured worker or the employer is unhappy with a decision made by WorkCover Queensland, the decision may be reviewable with Q-COMP. Strict time frames apply.
For non workers compensation injuries /conditions:
The grievance procedure is as detailed in QUT policies