| Vocational rehabilitation refers to programs | | | | work completed in a timely manner. |
| that seek to return disabled or injured | | | | |
| individuals to their optimal physical, | | | | Vocational rehabilitation can help solve |
| mental, social, vocational, and economic | | | | other workplace dilemmas as well. |
| ability. In a legal sense, vocational | | | | Rehabilitation can be a solution to problems |
| rehabilitation is a workers' compensation | | | | of high employee turnover and a dwindling |
| benefit, which involves programs designed to | | | | labour market. By tapping into the largely |
| help workers who have become physically or | | | | neglected supply of workers with disabilities |
| mentally disabled and who can no longer hold | | | | there are many benefits to the employer. |
| the same jobs they had prior to their | | | | |
| disabilities. | | | | Technological innovations have further |
| | | | promoted placement of rehabilitated |
| There are many cases in which Gerard Malouf | | | | employees. There are many devices and tools |
| and Partners have dealt with assisting the | | | | that can ease the transition to work, |
| individual worker to retain their current | | | | including voice synthesizers, adapters for |
| role with reduced/restricted duties and allow | | | | people with impaired mobility, and |
| for return to work plans so that they may | | | | voice-activated computers. |
| return back to the role that they were | | | | |
| involved with prior to the injury. | | | | Disabled workers are not typically expensive |
| | | | or difficult to accommodate and due to the |
| The purpose of vocational rehabilitation | | | | great number of potential candidates it is |
| programs is to aid the disabled in receiving | | | | quite easy to find suitable candidates. |
| training for new occupations, locating jobs, | | | | |
| retaining jobs, and building permanent | | | | In addition to the potential bottom-line |
| careers. | | | | benefits of vocational rehabilitation, such |
| | | | programs can promote positive employee |
| The Occupational Health and Safety Act (NSW) | | | | relations. Communicating the benefits of the |
| requires that employers comply with all | | | | program, keeping in contact with workers on |
| occupational health, safety, workers' | | | | disability leave, and establishing light- and |
| compensation, injury management and | | | | alternate-duty occupations can help show all |
| rehabilitation obligations. The Act enforces | | | | employees that they are valued contributors |
| a general duty of care on employers to: | | | | to a business. |
| | | | |
| - provide and maintain safe systems of work | | | | By keeping employees in light duties working |
| | | | at their place of employment also affects the |
| - make arrangements for ensuring the safe | | | | workers compensation premium and allows the |
| use, handling, storage of equipment and | | | | worker to feel safe and when they are |
| substances, and | | | | prepared can return to full duties. |
| | | | |
| - provide necessary information, instruction, | | | | By providing an individualised written |
| training and supervision. | | | | rehabilitation program, counselling and |
| | | | guidance, physical and mental restoration, |
| The Workplace Injury Management and Workers | | | | training, job placement, and postemployment |
| Compensation Act (NSW) established a system | | | | services can allow employees to return to |
| for the management of work-related injuries | | | | similar or new pre-injury duties. |
| of employees in NSW. The Act requires amongst | | | | |
| other things that every employer to: | | | | Counselling and guidance are ongoing aspects |
| | | | of vocational rehabilitation. Physical and |
| - take out and maintain a workers' | | | | mental restoration works to alleviate the |
| compensation insurance policy covering all of | | | | physical or mental conditions that impede a |
| their workers | | | | client's fullest potential functioning. This |
| | | | step may include medical, physical, |
| - notify the insurer of significant injuries | | | | therapeutic treatment, occupational or |
| within 48 hours | | | | communication therapy; and psychiatry. |
| | | | |
| - send injured workers' compensation claims | | | | Service providers are required to have a |
| to the insurer within seven days | | | | planned and systematic approach to OHS&R |
| | | | management. |
| - comply with the injury management plan | | | | |
| developed by the insurer, and assist injured | | | | Vocational training relates to the |
| workers to return to work safely at the | | | | development of specific job skills, usually |
| earliest time following a workplace injury. | | | | at TAFE or community colleges and |
| | | | universities, rehabilitation facilities, |
| The Act requires employees to: | | | | sheltered workshops, and apprenticeship |
| | | | programs, or on the job. |
| - take reasonable care for the health and | | | | |
| safety of persons at their place of work, and | | | | Job placement often entails cooperation |
| those who may be affected by their acts or | | | | between the vocational rehabilitation agency |
| omissions at work | | | | and the potential employer, including |
| | | | modification of a job and/or the work |
| - cooperate with any requirement imposed in | | | | environment. |
| the interests of health, safety and welfare | | | | |
| by the employer or any other person who is | | | | Placement is not the end of the vocational |
| authorised to do so under the Act(s) | | | | rehabilitation road. Some clients require |
| | | | post-employment services such as continued |
| - tell their employer of any injury as soon | | | | counselling, supplementary training, health |
| as possible | | | | services, assistance with transportation, or |
| | | | other rehabilitation services. |
| - attend medical and rehabilitation | | | | |
| assessments | | | | Vocational Rehabilitation is in itself a |
| | | | practical and positive process with benefits |
| - provide accurate information about any | | | | to all users of the system. To ensure that |
| aspect of their workers' compensation claim, | | | | employers comply with the law and the rights |
| and | | | | of the individual are upheld. Gerard Malouf |
| | | | and Partners ensure these rights are enforced |
| - be actively involved in their return to | | | | and the employer does not try and undercut |
| work plan. | | | | the rights of the injured worker. |
| | | | |
| The role of service providers | | | | In conclusion there are many benefits both to |
| | | | the employer and to the employee for |
| Service providers are responsible for the | | | | Vocational Programs or as primarily known |
| management of vocational rehabilitation | | | | return to work programs. In NSW there is |
| services to companies who's role it is to | | | | legislation in place for companies of various |
| provide a planned and systematic approach to | | | | sizes require a return to work coordinator |
| OHS Management and understand the needs of | | | | who responsibility to provide services to |
| the organisation and the employee. | | | | employees who have been injured at work. |
| | | | Often rehabilitation programs are run by the |
| It is important that an OHS management system | | | | Human Resources department of a company who |
| or plan is fully documented and clearly | | | | are familiar with the employees and their |
| communicated to people in the organisation. | | | | needs. |
| It should cover the way everyone is expected | | | | |
| to work safely, the way that the enterprise | | | | Benefits to employees include a consistent |
| will ensure its workers and service providers | | | | plan of returning to work, developing a sense |
| work safely and the way they intend to | | | | of worth and purpose and value to the |
| improve their practices over time. This will | | | | organisation which builds a company |
| also entail defining roles, duties and | | | | reputation. This is made possible through the |
| responsibilities so that everyone knows what | | | | use of treatment providers and counsellors |
| they have to do, when and in what | | | | who remain in contact with the injured |
| circumstances. | | | | employee to help them return to work. |
| | | | |
| Benefits of Rehabilitation | | | | There are financial benefits to employers to |
| | | | retain staff and return them back to work in |
| There are many reason and benefits for the | | | | an appropriate period of time dependant on |
| application of vocational rehabilitation. | | | | their injuries. |
| Vocational rehabilitation has existed as a | | | | |
| tool for both cost reduction and empowerment. | | | | Sometimes it is not possible to return to |
| By re-training employees to fit into the | | | | pre-injury duties and through proper |
| organisation can be a benefit for the | | | | communications and effort it is possible to |
| employee and for the employer. | | | | re-train or re-organise a role so that an |
| | | | employee can return to work on light duties |
| There are social advantages of vocationally | | | | or different role within the organisation. If |
| rehabilitating employees who have physical or | | | | it is not possible to return to the same |
| mental impairments as this promotes a | | | | organisation, steps can be made to place the |
| good-will within the company and no feelings | | | | employee in vocational training programs |
| of angst and dislike. | | | | through university or technical colleges as |
| | | | to develop a new skill or ability. |
| The cost of hiring a new employee is far | | | | |
| greater than just a salary, there are other | | | | By assisting the employee into future |
| costs of ensuring that processes are | | | | employment can reduce insurance payments as |
| understood and there a large gap in the time | | | | well as make full use of the available |
| where the position may remain unfilled as | | | | resources to the company especially in times |
| well as opportunity costs of not having the | | | | of tight labour markets. |