What is the employer's role in a WorkCover claim?

Taking the time to understand what each person does in a WorkCover claim can help things run more smoothly.

Working together leads to better outcomes, including a safe and early recovery and return to work for your worker.

In this video, we’ll cover:

who’s involved in a WorkCover claim, and

what each person’s role is.

If you’re an employer, your role is to:

Stay in touch with your worker and offer your support while they’re off work and as they get back.

Be flexible and take time to understand your worker’s injury or illness, and how it’s affecting them.

And, help your worker to get back safely by offering suitable duties, or tasks they can do as they recover.

Your worker’s supervisor, or your workplace return to work coordinator, will usually be the main point of contact with your worker.

They should talk regularly, keep things on track, help your worker stay engaged and support them to get back into the team.

Regular and open communication with your worker supports their recovery and can increase the chance of them getting back to work sooner.

Find a full list of your roles and responsibilities on our website.

Your worker’s main role is to focus on getting better.

This means taking part in their treatment and following medical advice.

They should stay in touch with you, ask for help if they need it and communicate openly and honestly.

Once a doctor says it’s safe, they also need to get back to work.

A doctor, specialist or health provider will provide treatment for your worker and guide their progress.

They’ll give advice on what tasks your worker can do safely as they recover.

This can help you with finding suitable duties for your worker.

They’ll also provide work capacity certificates and might request funding from WorkCover for surgery or treatment sessions, if needed.

There are other roles that may sit within your workplace.

If you’re a larger business, you’ll have a Rehabilitation and Return to Work Co-ordinator. They’ll work closely with your worker during their recovery.

Some employers will also have an Injury Management Coordinator, a type of rehabilitation provider.

They can do workplace assessments before your worker goes back to work and put together an Injury Management Plan.

Finally, WorkCover’s role is to support communication between everyone involved and help overcome any barriers.

We’ll plan your worker's recovery and return to work. This might include helping you find suitable duties for them to do. We’ll work out what can be paid for and make payments.

We’ll also make decisions about each claim based on the rules and guidelines, including the law in Queensland.

When everyone works as a team, challenges can be discussed and solved together.

You can always talk to WorkCover if there are any changes or issues – we’re here to help.