Return to work process for employers

Step 1 – Notification of an injury or illness

Once an employee has notified their supervisor that they have experienced an accident, injury or illness, you or your delegate should:

• discuss immediate needs with the employee
• take steps to prevent further injury or illness.

This step should be done whether the employee intends to make a worker’s compensation claim or not.

Step 2 – Appoint a rehabilitation case manager

As soon as you are aware that an employee is ill or injured, you should appoint a rehabilitation case manager within your organisation.

The rehabilitation case manager will generally contact the employee within 24 hours to discuss:

• their injury
• their return to work needs and any reasonable adjustments that can be made
• any potential barriers.

Step 3 – Assess the need for rehabilitation

The rehabilitation case manager organises a rehabilitation assessment if they decide an assessment is required to help prepare the employee's return to work (rehabilitation) program.

They must also organise an assessment if the employee requests a rehabilitation assessment.

An assessment may not be required if:

• the employee only has minor restrictions
• their treating medical practitioner says they are fit to remain at or return to work
• there is sufficient information from the treating practitioner so that an assessment is not required.

In this case, the medical practitioner must provide clear medical guidance on the employee’s capacity for work.

Step 4 – Organise a rehabilitation assessment (if requested or required)

Organising a rehabilitation assessment

If the rehabilitation case manager considers the need for a rehabilitation assessment, or if the employee has requested one, the case manager must first seek information from the employee’s treating practitioner in relation to their rehabilitation, and rely on that information as much as possible.

If after considering this information, the rehabilitation case manager determines the employee must undergo an assessment, they must consult with the employee on the selection of the assessor or panel of assessors, their need for a support person and any other relevant matter relating to the assessment.

A rehabilitation assessment can be performed by a:

• legally qualified medical practitioner
• suitably qualified person, such as an approved workplace rehabilitation provider, or
• panel of people.

The rehabilitation case manager provides the assessor with information about the employee’s circumstances. This may include:

• medical reports
• details of their pre-injury employment
• a schedule of questions to be answered.

The assessment will generally include an interview or examination with the employee.

If the employee is asked to attend a rehabilitation assessment with an examination, they must do so, unless they have a reasonable excuse for failing or refusing to attend.

For more information about rehabilitation assessments see our factsheet Guide for Arranging Rehabilitation Assessments and Requiring Examinations 2024 – An overview for rehabilitation case managers (PDF, 131.5 KB)

Outcome of a rehabilitation assessment

A rehabilitation assessment provides information about:

• an employee’s injury
• an employee’s fitness to remain at or return to work
• recommendations to support a safe and early return to work, including any reasonable adjustments.

Following the assessment, a report is usually provided to the rehabilitation case manager. The report details the employee’s capacity to participate in rehabilitation.

The rehabilitation case manager uses this report to structure a return to work (rehabilitation) program for the employee.

Step 5 – Arrange a rehabilitation program (if needed)

The rehabilitation case manager decides whether the employee needs a rehabilitation program to help them return to, or recover at, work.

A rehabilitation program is a structured series of activities and supports designed to:

• maintain or return an employee to suitable employment, and/or
• maintain or improve an employee’s daily living activities.

The rehabilitation program outlines the support and services an employee needs to return to work quickly and safely.

A rehabilitation program is usually coordinated by a rehabilitation case manager or a workplace rehabilitation provider. You can search our directory to find a Comcare-approved workplace rehabilitation provider.

Employers must take all reasonable steps to provide suitable employment for employees who are undertaking a rehabilitation program. Reasonable adjustments may also be required to provide support for recovery and return to work.

Employees must be consulted on their rehabilitation program. Actively engaging the employee in the development of their program empowers employees and supports better return to work outcomes.

Step 6 – Monitor the rehabilitation program

Under the Guidelines for Rehabilitation Authorities Instrument 2019 (PDF, 247.1 KB) (PDF, 247.1 KB) you must monitor the:

• progress of your employee’s rehabilitation program
• performance of a workplace rehabilitation provider (if one has been engaged).

This process is important to make sure a rehabilitation program:

• is responsive to any barriers to return to work
• matches the employee’s needs
• is effective for the stage of recovery.

Monitoring of the program can provide you with information about:

• the employee’s work capacity
• progress against agreed milestones and activities
• changes to the employee’s injury or condition
• the effectiveness of any reasonable adjustments provided
• supervisor and colleague support
• performance of the workplace rehabilitation provider against agreed activities
• Changes to the availability of suitable employment

When using a workplace rehabilitation provider, you must inform Comcare of any concerns regarding the service delivery of the workplace rehabilitation provider. You can email rehab.approval@comcare.gov.au or call us on 1300 366 979 to discuss concerns.

Step 7 – Provide suitable employment

Providing suitable employment is the responsibility of the rehabilitation authority, who is usually the employer.

There are many benefits of making suitable duties available. Suitable duties can significantly reduce:

• the employee’s incapacity
• duration of their illness or injury
• associated cost of the claim.

Suitable duties meet an employee's capacities, skills and experience and consider any medical limitations.

See Providing suitable employment for ways to identify suitable duties for an employee. This can involve:

• modifying duties
• providing alternative duties
• graduated return to work
• internal placement
• permanent redeployment
• work trial.

See Work Trials: A guide for rehabilitation case managers (PDF, 156.0 KB) for step by step instructions on how to place an injured employee with a host employer for a work trial.

Step 8 – Close the rehabilitation program

The program is closed when:

• the objectives of the rehabilitation program have been achieved, or
• current rehabilitation goals are no longer achievable and a new rehabilitation program is needed.

Closing a rehabilitation program does not stop rehabilitation services being provided in the future if the employee’s circumstances change.