New Inspectors To Improve Outcomes For Injured Workers

27 February 2007

New State Return to Work Inspectors will be visiting Victorian employers
with WorkCover claims for compensation from this month.

The Minister for WorkCover, Tim Holding, says the visits are part of the
Victorian WorkCover Authority's commitment to help injured workers return
to work, and to provide greater support to employers in understanding their
return to work obligations.“The Victorian WorkCover Authority is committed
to doing everything it can to ensure injured workers receive the care and
support they need to re-enter the workplace,” Mr Holding said.“This includes
building awareness among employers about their legal obligations to support
injured workers, and providing advice about the best way to help rehabilitate
injured workers.”

WorkCover figures show that more than 158,000 claims for workplace injuries
have been made in the past five years at a cost of more than $5 billion in
compensation and rehabilitation.

The new Return to Work Inspectorate will focus on how the State’s employers
are performing in helping these injured workers return to the workplace.

Specifically, the Inspectors will:

Look for the presence of a nominated Return to Work Coordinator (where required)
and the nature of the role being undertaken by the Coordinator;

Ensure Return to Work plans are being developed in consultation with the
injured worker;

Ensure Return to Work plans contain the necessary information, including
an Occupational Rehabilitation Program and the Offer of Suitable Employment,
where required;

Ensure employees and employers are provided with up-to-date public
information on their rights and obligations if they suffer a workplace injury;
and make sure risk management programs are in place.

While the primary focus of the visits is around return to work issues,
the Return to Work Inspectors will retain their OHS Inspector powers.

A Return to Work Inspector will contact an employer via letter or telephone
prior to any visit with the details of the visit and what to expect.

WCV's: by calling or writing to the employers prior to the visit just
allows the employers more time, to doctor up their books, policies and do repairs
they already should have done as the new VWA add clearly depicts and shows.

What will this prove Mr Holding? The employers should already be worksafe
compliant ,that means already be providing a return to work!

Will this cover all workers from 1997 onwards or are you going to pick and
choose again, whom will be included? or maybe you will create another black
hole theory?

What about the workers who have already not been provided a return to work?
Will their claims be re-accessed by this newly formed department of the VWA?

Many of the stories I hear here at WCV's, are about workers being sacked before
they have been provided a return to work and the VWA have been ignoring this
fact for 9 years that I know of now so, why are you worried now Mr Tweedly
and Mr Holding? Do you need brownie points?

I myself have complained to you many times about this very issue, and it has
taken you 9 years that I know of to act on them, so why now? Are you going to
resolve my partners return to work issues too?