• Section 1 - Purpose
• Section 2 - Glossary
• Section 3 - Policy
• Part A - Commitment
• Part B - Return to Work Program
• Part C - Program Communication and Access
• Section 4 - Procedures
• Section 5 - Guidelines

Section 1 - Purpose

(1) This Policy sets out Charles Sturt University's management principles on rehabilitation and return to work for employees who have been injured or become ill in the course of their employment.

Scope

(2) This Policy applies to all employees of Charles Sturt University (the University).

Section 2 - Glossary

(3) Occupational rehabilitation is the restoration of the injured employee to their fullest possible physical, psychological, social, vocational and economic capacity.

Section 3 - Policy

Part A - Commitment

(4) Charles Sturt University, through its Occupational Health and Safety Management System, is committed to:

1. preventing work-related injury and illness through the provision of a safe and healthy working environment and best practice approaches to Risk Management, Claims Management and Injury Management;
2. ensuring employees are informed of their rights and obligations concerning workers compensation through the provision of information that is contained, and services that are referred to, in the Return to Work Program ; and
3. rehabilitating employees who are injured, or who become ill, in the course of their employment.

Part B - Return to Work Program

(5) The University will consult with its employees to ensure that the Return to Work Program operates in an effective manner for the purpose of implementing the University's return to work objectives, which are to:

1. commence occupational rehabilitation as soon as possible after the occurrence of work-related injury or illness;
2. facilitate a return to work as soon as possible after work-related injury or illness;
3. provide meaningful and productive work, in a manner consistent with medical advice, through the provision of suitable and, where practical, alternate duties;
4. provide occupational rehabilitation in a manner consistent with the recommendations of the rehabilitation provider;
5. ensure that participation in a return to work program does not prejudice or disadvantage an employee with a work-related injury or illness; and
6. work co-operatively to resolve disputes regarding an employee's workers compensation claim, return to work, or, the Return to Work Program itself.

(6) The University's Return to Work Program is an agreed system that is made up of a series of policies, procedures, guidelines, forms and links to information. It is the responsibility of the Human Resources Officer (Injury Management) to develop, implement, review and promote the Return to Work Program.

(7) The University's Return to Work Program was developed after consultation with Occupational Health and Safety Committees and with other staff. Agreement was reached that the developed program meets the legislative requirement to be consistent with the University's workers compensation insurer's "Injury Management Program" and NSW WorkCover Authority's "Guidelines for Employers - Return to Work Programs".

(8) Amendments to the Return to Work Program may be required, for example, due to changes in the legislation or when the program is reviewed. When this occurs, then approval for any changes will be made in accordance with the Delegations and Authorisations Policy.

Part C - Program Communication and Access

(9) University staff will be informed of the Return to Work Program and be able to access it, as follows:

1. on implementation, and, when amended, all employees will be notified, electronically;
2. it will be the responsibility of each School and Section of the University to ensure that their employees who do not regularly access a computer are informed of the Return to Work Program, the summary of the Return to Work Program and any amendments;
3. documents that constitute the Return to Work Program that are of particular interest to employees are located on the Environment Health and Safety webpage;
4. a summary of the Return to Work Program is displayed on the Occupational Health and Safety Noticeboard;
5. a printed copy of the Return to Work Program is located at each campus Human Resources Office, and is available for employees to view upon request;
6. Return to Work Program documents for Injury Management staff use are located on the Division of Human Resources' share drive. Most of these documents are confidential; and
7. reference to the Return to Work Program is included in the Charles Sturt University Policy Library.

(10) The Return to Work Program will be reviewed from time to time, but no later than every three years, in consultation with the University and the Occupational Health and Safety Committees. In addition, the Return to Work Program will be monitored and reviewed regularly by the Vice-Chancellor or nominee.

Section 4 - Procedures

(11) Nil.

Section 5 - Guidelines

(12) Nil.