New initiatives make return to work easier

Last month, the NSW Government announced a raft of new initiatives to help injured workers return to work.

According to Greg Pearce, NSW Minister for Finance and Services, the new initiatives will provide both employers and employees with incentives and assistance to ensure longer-term injured workers can re-join the workforce.

“It is vital that injured workers are provided with the tools and programs to assist them to get back into the workplace,” Mr Pearce said.

“Being injured and unable to work is an anxious time for any worker and their family and these initiatives will make a real difference to the lives of injured workers in NSW”.

The new initiatives are summarised below:

For Injured Workers

Transition-to-work payment	A new program that allows up to $5,000 for employment placements where the costs of items such as travel, clothing, relocation or childcare are a significant barrier to commencing a job.
Equipment funding	Extended to include tools required for a job search. For example tools for a maintenance worker, commercial cooking knives for a cook and a security belt for a security guard.
Extension of the work trial period	Allowing the work trial period to be extended several weeks beyond current 12 week limit if it will secure employment.

For Employers

Updated JobCover Placement Program to help injured workers secure a job with a new employer

Increasing the wage subsidy with a new employer from $3,600 over 12 weeks to up to $27,400 over the first year;

Increasing from one to two years the period that an injured worker’s wages are exempt from being included in the employer’s workers
compensation premium calculation;

Increasing the protection period against further costs associated with an existing injury from one to two years; and

Reducing red tape by enabling the agent managing the worker’s claim to manage the program, pay the wage subsidy to the JobCover employer retrospectively and certify eligibility for premium protection.

Further information on WorkCover’s vocational rehabilitation programs is available from the WorkCover NSW website or by calling WorkCover on 13 10 50.