Access keys | Skip to primary navigation | Skip to secondary navigation | Skip to content | Skip to footer |

• Home
• Students
• Parents and carers
• International students
• Schools and educators
• School holidays
• Directories
• Jobs
• About us

• Health and Safety
  • Managing Health and Safety
    • Annual Assessment
    • Accidents & Incidents
    • Schools Officers
      • Schools Officers Folder
    • WHSO
    • HSR
    • Risk Management
    • Committees & Consultation
    • Visitor and Contractor Management
  • Hazards and Risks
    • Built Environment
    • Chemicals & Hazardous Substances
    • Curriculum Activities
    • Dust
    • Electrical
    • Emergency Planning
    • Equipment & Machinery
      • Resources
    • First Aid
    • Infection Control
    • Noise
    • Playgrounds & Outdoors
    • Working at Heights
    • Manual tasks & Ergonomics
    • Driver and vehicle safety
  • Policies and Procedures
  • Safety and Hazard Alerts
  • Resources
    • Fact sheets
    • Checklists
  • H&S Events page - CHW
• Injury Management
  • Rehabilitation
    • Forms
  • WorkCover, QSuper & Other Claims
  • Reasonable Adjustment
  • Medical Deployment
  • Ill Health Retirement
  • Rehab Coordinator Resources
  • Injury Management Resources
    • Injury Management Form-s
    • Functional Job Requirement Reports
      • Functional Job Requirement Reports- Primary School Administration
      • Functional Job Requirement Reports - Primary Teachers
      • Functional Job Requirement Reports- Primary Administration Staff
      • Functional Job Requirement Reports- Primary Teacher Aides
      • Functional Job Requirement Reports - Secondary School
      • Functional Job Requirement Reports- School Support Staff
      • Functional Job Requirements Reports - Special Education Teacher
  • Additonal Injury Management Resources
  • Fact Sheets
  • Back Injury Case Study
  • FAQs
  • Links
    • Rehabilitation Links
    • Psychological Health Links
    • Physical Injury Links
• Employee Assistance Service
  • Fact Sheets
  • Principals & Managers
  • FAQs
  • Links
• Health and Wellbeing
  • Health and Wellbeing information
  • Exercise programs and events
  • Mental health awareness programs
  • Influenza and flu vaccinations
• Research
  • Cancer Information Links
  • Deception Bay SHS
  • Milpera SHS
  • Morayfield SHS
  • Warrigal Road SS
• Courses and Training
  • Health and Safety Training
  • Rehab Coordinator Training
• Queensland's new work health and safety laws
• A-Z Topics Index
• Discussion List
• Corporate Data Warehouse Manual
• Contact us
  • Health and Safety contacts
  • Rehabilitation contacts
  • Claims Officer contacts
  • Employee Assistance contacts
  • Working Well contacts

Injury Management Frequently Asked Questions

Rehabilitation

• What does the rehabilitation process involve?
• Who do you contact for help with rehabilitation?
• What are the responsibilities of a Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator?
• Are employee's able to access rehabilitation services for injuries or illnesses that are not work related?
• What rehabilitation services are provided by Central Office and Regions?
• How will I be paid to participate in a suitable duties program?

WorkCover

• What should I do if I am injured at work?
• How long do I have to lodge a WorkCover claim?
• If I am injured how will I be paid until my WorkCover claim is decided?
• What will I be entitled to if my WorkCover claim is accepted?
• If I am injured on my way to or from work am I covered by workers' compensation?
• What are the department's legislative obligations under the Workers' Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003?

Principals and Managers

• What are my responsibilities?
• Does my school need a Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator?

Other Topics

• When can I get QSuper benefits?
• Do I need a medical certificate to return to work after a work-related or non-work-related illness or injury?
• What should I do if I think I've been exposed to asbestos at my school?

Rehabilitation

What does the rehabilitation process involve?

Workplace rehabilitation is defined by the Department as:

'A managed process coordinated by an employer, in collaboration with the employee, their medical practitioners and their workplace, to assist an employee return to work in a timely manner following an injury.'

Rehabilitation should commence as soon as possible after an injury or illness occurs and may include:

• Maintaining regular contact with the injured employee
• Maintaining regular contact with the injured employee's treating medical providers
• Modifications to the employee's duties and/or responsibilities to enable the injured or ill employee to continue working. This is called a maintain-at-work program.
• The development of a return-to-work program. This is used to assist an injured employee who has been absent from work, or is temporarily unable to perform their full hours, return to work. A return-to-work program may consist of alterations to the number of days worked per week, hours worked per day, and the duties performed.

An employee's rehabilitation is coordinated by a Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator. To find out who your rehabilitation coordinator is, either contact your school or the Senior Injury Management Consultant for your region.

^ Top of page

Who do you contact for help with rehabilitation?

School based employees

The Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator allocated to each school assists with the rehabilitation of school based employees. If you are unsure who the Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator for your school is, contact the school administration.

District and Regional Employees

For assistance with issues relating to the rehabilitation of a district or regional employee, the local Injury Management Consultant should be contacted.

Central Office Employees

For assistance with issues relating to the rehabilitation of an employee attached to Central Office, contact the Organisational Health Unit on 3235 9967.

What are the responsibilities of a Rehabilitation and Return To Work Coordinator?

The Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator is responsible for coordinating and monitoring individual rehabilitation programs. This includes:

• initiating and maintaining contact with employees absent from work, or expected to be absent from work, for more than 5 days;
• developing, coordinating, and monitoring rehabilitation plans for injured or ill employees;
• educating all employees about workplace rehabilitation procedures and guidelines and what to expect when an injury or illness occurs.

For more information about the responsibilities of Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinators please refer to the department's Workplace Rehabilitation Procedures . Their role is further defined in section 99B of the Workers' Compensation and Rehabilitation Regulations 2003.

^ Top of page

What are the responsibilities of an injured employee during rehabilitation?

The responsibilities of injured and ill employees during a rehabilitation process include:

• complying with reporting procedures for work-related and non-work-related injuries and illnesses;
• Providing medical documentation in support of their absence or rehabilitation needs, including medical certification that details the nature of the injury or illness and the approximate period of absence; and
• Participate in rehabilitation by:
  • cooperating with, and participating in, the development of an appropriate rehabilitation program,
  • maintaining regular contact with their Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator and Manager/Principal,
  • ceasing any task which adversely affects their condition and reporting any problems immediately to their Manager/Principal and/or Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator,
  • obtaining appropriate medical treatment from a doctor of their own choosing,
  • complying with rehabilitation program, and not undertaking activities, (including those outside work hours) which could hinder recovery, and
  • participating in any referrals by the Department to a rehabilitation provider.

For more information about the responsibilities of Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinators please refer to the department's Workplace Rehabilitation Procedures .

^ Top of page

Are employee's able to access rehabilitation services for injuries or illnesses that are not work related?

The Department does provide workplace rehabilitation programs to assist employees with a non-work related injury or illness return to work, unless the employee:

• does not want rehabilitation support,
• does not provide the department with a current medical authority form if this is required to facilitate rehabilitation,
• does not comply with appropriate medical treatment,
• does not actively participate in an agreed rehabilitation program, or
• is employed casually.

For further information about rehabilitation services available please speak to your local Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator.

What rehabilitation services are provided by Regions and Central Office?

Regions

The primary role of regions is the provision of a consultancy service to Principals and school based Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinators to assist schools with the provision of workplace rehabilitation.

In addition, Injury Management Consultants in regions may provide rehabilitation case management services for complex rehabilitation cases in line with the department's priorities [an error occurred while processing this directive].

For further information about regional rehabilitation support services please contact your local Injury Management Consultant.

Central Office

The services provided by the Organisational Health Unit in Central Office that relate to rehabilitation include:

• developing and reviewing policy,
• developing systems and resources to support rehabilitation,
• assisting coordinate the delivery of Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator training,
• providing an advisory service to regions, and
• managing the WorkCover premium.

^ Top of page

How will I be paid to participate in a return-to-work program?

Return-to-work programs are organised by a Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator, at the school or Region and may involve an employee working reduced hours.

During the period of a Return-to-work program, an employee will be paid by the Department for the hours they are working. The hours they do not work may be funded through various sources depending on entitlements. These are:

• WorkCover Queensland
• QSuper
• Using available leave entitlements eg: Sick leave

^ Top of page

WorkCover

What should I do if I am injured at work?

If you are injured during the course of your work the following steps should be followed:

1. Verbally report the injury to your immediate supervisor;
2. Record the injury in the Workplace Health and Safety Module within the School Management System (SMS).
3. Seek medical attention and obtain a workers' compensation medical certificate from your doctor.
4. Complete a WorkCover 'Application for Compensation' form, when you incur medical expenses or have time off work.
5. Complete an application for leave to claim workers' compensation form (available from your school administration or workplace manager) if the injury results in time off work.
6. Provide the forms and medical certificate to school administration or your Manager.
7. The Principal or Manager completes a WorkCover 'Employer's Report' form and forwards all forms to the regional office.
8. The regional office completes the pay and employer excess details of the 'Employer's Report' form before submitting the claim to WorkCover.
   
   The WorkCover claim must be lodged with WorkCover within 20 working days of an injury occurring (or the date first seen by a doctor for an injury sustained over a period of time)
   
9. If your injury is going to cause an absence from work of more than 5 days a Workplace Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator should be allocated to assist with your rehabilitation back into the workplace.

^ Top of page

How long do I have to lodge a claim for workers' compensation?

Injured employees

An injured employee should lodge a WorkCover Application for Compensation within 20 business days after the date first seen by a doctor for their injury.

If an application is lodged more than 20 business days after the entitlement to compensation arises, the extent of WorkCover's liability to compensation is limited to a period starting no earlier than 20 business days before the day on which the valid application is lodged.

An application for compensation is valid and enforceable only if the application is lodged within 6 months after the date first seen by a doctor.

Employers

The Employer's Report must be lodged with WorkCover within 8 business days after the first of the following happens:

• the employer knows the injury has been sustained;
• the worker reports the injury to the employer;
• the employer receives WorkCover's written request for a report

Schools/workplaces should complete as much information on the Employer's report as possible, then forward the form to the Regional Claims Officer to finalise and forward to WorkCover. If a school/workplace is concerned about the details of the claim, this should be indicated in the question confirming whether the school is supporting the claim. If you indicate that you are not supporting the claim, details of a contact person should be provided next to this question, with a statement requesting that WorkCover contact them to discuss their concerns.

The penalty for not lodging the employer's report within 8 business days is 50 penalty units or $18 750.

^ Top of page

If I am injured how will I be paid until my workers' compensation claim is decided?

For non-stress claims lodged by permanent employees who require time off work, the Department of Education, Training and Employment continues payment of normal fortnightly salary.

Following acceptance of the claim, WorkCover Queensland reimburses the department directly under an assigned pay arrangement. This arrangement minimises disruptions to an injured employee's salary and regular payroll deductions and also minimises the likelihood of overpayments.

If WorkCover Queensland rejects the claim, any salary payments made will be deducted from sick leave credits or deducted from future wages.

Claims from non-permanent employees or claims from permanent employees for stress related injuries are not sponsored on an assignee pay basis. Sick leave is approved up to the sick leave balance available. On acceptance of the claim by WorkCover Queensland, sick leave credits are reimbursed.

What will I be entitled to if my workers' compensation claim is accepted?

If WorkCover Queensland accepts a claim for compensation, benefits that may be available include:

• payment of wages for absences from work;
• costs of medical treatment and hospitalisation;
• cost of rehabilitation;
• lump sum payments for permanent impairment.

^ Top of page

If I am injured on my way to or from work am I covered by workers' compensation?

Under the Department's insurance policy, WorkCover Queensland provides compensation benefits to employees who sustain an injury while travelling to or from their place of employment. These claims are referred to as Journey Claims. The event causing the injury or injuries must occur while the employee is on a journey between:

• home and the place of employment. (A journey to or from home is considered to start and end at the boundary of the land on which the home is situated. Home means the employee's usual place of residence, and includes a place where the employee temporarily resided before starting a journey or intended to temporarily reside after ending a journey);
• home or place of employment and a trade, technical or other training school as required by the employee's conditions of employment or that the Department expects the employee to attend;
• one place of employment and a second place of employment;
• (if an employee has an existing accepted WorkCover claim) home or place of employment and a place for the following reasons:
  • to obtain medical or hospital advice, attention or treatment;
  • to undertake rehabilitation;
  • to be examined by a medical practitioner or recognised health provider under a provision of the Workers' Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003;
  • to receive payment of compensation.

WorkCover may reject a journey claim if the event happens:

• while the worker is in control of a vehicle and contravenes the Traffic Act 1946 s16 (Driving under the influence) or Criminal Code s328A (Dangerous operation of a vehicle); or
• during or after:
  • a substantial delay before the journey commences; or
  • a substantial interruption of, or deviation from, the journey.

^ Top of page

What are the department's legislative obligations under the Workers' Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003?

Under the Workers Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003 the department's rehabilitation obligations are to:

• appoint a rehabilitation and return to work coordinator;
• have a workplace rehabilitation policy and procedures; and
• take all reasonable steps to provide a worker who has sustained a work related injury with rehabilitation for the period the worker is entitled to compensation

^ Top of page

Principals and Managers

What are my responsibilities?

Principals and managers are responsible for implementing the department's workplace rehabilitation procedures. This includes:

• ensuring they have a trained Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator attached to their school;
• providing employees with information and access to the department's workplace rehabilitation procedures and ensuring they are aware of their obligations in relation to it - in particular, the reporting of work-related and non-work-related injuries; and
• helping in the development and implementation of rehabilitation programs for injured employees.

Principals also need to ensure that a WorkCover Employer's report is provided to WorkCover within 8 days of a work related injury occurring. Schools/workplaces should complete as much information on the Employer's report as possible, then forward the form to the Regional Claims Officer to finalise and forward to WorkCover. If a school/workplace is concerned about the details of the claim, this should be indicated in the question confirming whether the school is supporting the claim. If you indicate that you are not supporting the claim, details of a contact person should be provided next to this question, with a statement requesting that WorkCover contact them to discuss their concerns.

For more information about the responsibilities of a Principal/Manager, please refer to the department's Workplace Rehabilitation Procedures . Resources have been developed to assist Principals/Managers with implementing workplace rehabilitation in thief school/workplace.

^ Top of page

Does my school need a Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator?

It is the Department's policy that all workplaces must have an accredited Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator attached to them. This means that all schools need to either organise for an appropriate member of their staff to be trained as a Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator, or negotiate with a nearby school to share a Coordinator.

If a school chooses to train their own Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator the document Selecting an Appropriate Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator 494kwill assist with selecting the appropriate staff member for training. Please see Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator Training for further information.

If a school wishes to share a Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator with another school an agreement should be developed and signed by all parties. A template for sharing a coordinator 328k is available.

^ Top of page

Other Topics

When can I get QSuper benefits?

Employees who have exhausted their sick leave entitlements and who are members of a QSuper superannuation scheme may apply for an Income Protection Benefit from QSuper to support them financially until they are either able to return to work in some capacity or are offered a Permanent Disability Benefit.

If you meet the eligibility criteria for accessing Income Protection Benefits, QSuper can provide you with a benefit of 75% of your weekly salary while you are on sick leave without pay, after a 2 week leave without pay waiting period. QSuper may pay Income Protection Benefits for up to 2 years for any one medical condition.

Employees may also access a rehabilitation benefit through QSuper. A rehabilitation benefit is a type of Income Protection Benefit that is used to support an employee undertaking a graduated return to work. Under this benefit the Department pays the employee for the hours worked and QSuper pays the employee for the hours not worked, at a rate of 75% of your weekly salary.

The payment of Income Protection Benefits by QSuper does not impact upon an individual's superannuation fund.

Do I need a medical certificate to return to work after a work-related or non-work-related illness or injury?

Upon returning to full duties after a period of incapacity, an injured employee will be requested to provide a medical clearance. This confirms that their doctors believe that there is no risk of further injury to the employee upon their return to full hours and duties. The request for a medical clearance is made based on the Department's obligation to ensure the workplace health and safety of all employees and others at a workplace.

What should I do if I think I've been exposed to asbestos at my school?

If you think you have been exposed to asbestos in your school, you should immediately notify your Principal and record the event as a workplace health and safety incident using the SMS system. In addition, you are able to lodge a WorkCover claim for notification purposes only.

To lodge a WorkCover claim for exposure to asbestos you will need to complete an Application for Compensation - Asbestos injury .

^ Top of page

This page was last reviewed on 20 Jul 2012

Copyright | Disclaimer | Privacy | Access keys | Other languages

© The State of Queensland (Department of Education, Training and Employment) 2005-2012.

Queensland Government