Mr Holdings Response to WCV's Hanks Review Concerns.

WCV's has been advocating for years now about the Discrimination, Bullying and
Victimisation experienced by many injured workers during their claims.

We are pleased to announce that some of our recommendations regarding
stress injuries were heard by Mr Holding and he has now replied to some of my concerns.

We are very pleased that "Stress Injuries" will now be Increased by 500%
which will entitle those long term injured workers rights to compensation
although, we are still concerned about the use of "Serious" in the wording.

Will this still exclude some injured workers? We believe it will!

Mr Holding also goes onto say that the act will not protect those
employers from engaging in Workplace Bullying and or Harassment.

"It will not protect an employer who has not conducted themselves fairly"
but he does say that:

1. These protections ensure that no employer will escape liability where any management was not reasonable in itself.
2. Was not taken reasonably.
3. Or was not the whole or predominate cause of the injury.

It's the last one that I'm worried about? "Or was not the whole or predominate cause of the injury" We know of so many cases where Workplace Bullying and Harrassment have been totally ignored by Worksafe Victoria during a claim and you can guarantee that the employers will use point 3 as often as they can considering the government have given them such an easy out!

As if it hasnt already been hard enough to bring a workplace bullying claim ?

This will cut out many of the secondary injury stress claims made by injured workers. So I don't believe we all will benefit from this change.

Clarity in decision making does not provide compensation to injured workers!

Returning workers to work in 2009, after they were injured in 1997 - 1999 is just too damn late, many of these workers are now completely unable to return to full time work due to the treatment of the Sytem and Worksafe Victoria.

Who is going to take responsibility for them?

Also Mr Holding does not mention anything being done for the injured workers of the Kennett era whom are still without their common law rights?

Why, has this been overlooked again? We are not going to go away they need to deal with us now !

Let me know your thoughts?