1. Framework
1.1 Introduction
The Department of Education (the Department) is committed to providing assistance to injured or ill employees to facilitate their return to work. Work can be an effective means of reducing the psychological and physical effects of injury (such as reduced self-esteem and confidence, physical de-conditioning and social isolation) as it maintains the injured employee’s contribution to productivity and keeps him or her in touch with the workplace.
All employees of the Department and casual staff who are injured in the course of work may apply to receive workers’ compensation benefits for a compensable injury.
1.2 Role of principals and line managers
Upon knowledge of an employee being injured or ill at work, principals and line managers should:
- provide first aid, if required
- advise the employee to seek medical assistance, if required
- advise the employee to submit a Workers’ compensation claim (staff only) if they want to claim compensation
- on receipt of the first certificate of capacity, note the information regarding work capacity and upload into the electronic workers’ compensation claim form (submit once completed)
- complete an Employer Report Form online once advised via email that a claim has been lodged
- keep records of all accident and incident matters that may become the subject of a complaint, grievance or future dispute.
If the line manager or principal does not agree with the circumstances of the workers’ compensation claim made by the employee, they should state this on the Employer Report Form and upload a statement outlining their concerns. The Insurance Commission of Western Australia (ICWA) will email you this form once a claim is submitted.
If the medical certificate indicates that an employee will be absent from work, the line manager or principal should place them on sick leave. If the employee’s sick leave is exhausted, the line manager or principal should check with the employee if they want to utilise other leave credits until liability for the claim is determined and if not place them on sick leave without pay.
All forms required during the workers’ compensation and injury management process are available via Ikon or can be downloaded at the ICWA website.
Appendix A contains the Workers’ Compensation Claim process flowchart for consultation.
Any query regarding the workers’ compensation process should be discussed with the relevant workers’ compensation and injury management advisor (staff only). Contact details for advisors can be found on the ‘Workers’ compensation contact list’.
Find further information on record management in the Records Management policy and procedures.
1.3 Injury management process
The key parties in the injury management process are the injured employee, the employer and the treating medical practitioner. The injury management process may also involve ICWA, a workplace rehabilitation provider and the union representative.
The principal or line manager is responsible for supporting an injured employee’s return to work. To download a return to work program template, refer to Support your staff with workers’ compensation injury or illness (staff only). Assistance with this process will be provided by the relevant injury management consultant (staff only).
Return to work programs must be in writing and have the signature of the injured employee and the principal or line manager indicating that they agree with the details and goal of the program.
Principals and line managers should support an injured employee’s return to work by:
- providing the opportunity for injured employees to be involved in all decisions regarding their injury management and their workplace rehabilitation program
- developing a written return to work program when an employee is fit to return to work but only on restricted duties or hours
- in consultation with the injured employee
- in consultation with injury management or rehabilitation consultants, where required
- based on the employee’s restrictions in the medical certificate or advice from the treating medical practitioner
- identifying possible productive and meaningful alternative duties or make modifications to original duties for consideration by the medical practitioner
- providing suitable equipment to enable the employee to safely complete their duties
- confidentially storing all relevant documents, such as copies of medical certificates
- where a workplace rehabilitation provider has not been engaged, sending a copy of the return to work program to the Employee Support Bureau.
The Department of Education follows the WorkCover WA’s injury management model. Refer to Appendix B for a flowchart of the injury management process.
When deemed necessary to optimise the return to work outcome, the Department’s injury management consultant will refer the injured employee, with the approval of the medical practitioner, to an accredited workplace rehabilitation provider. The injured employee will be advised by the Department’s injury management consultant of their right to select a workplace rehabilitation provider.
The privacy of the injured employee should be respected. No information regarding the injured employee’s injury or rehabilitation status is to be communicated without the permission of the employee.
All relevant documentation, such as copies of medical certificates, are stored so that confidentiality is maintained.
1.4 Role of injured employee
Under the Work Health and Safety Act 2020 and the Departments Work Health and Safety (WHS) policy, all employees have an obligation to report hazards and all incidents/accidents to their principal or line manager.
An injured employee should:
- seek medical attention if required
- provide a medical certificate to principal or line manager where applicable.
If workers’ compensation is being sought, the injured employee should:
- complete a Workers’ Compensation Claim Form online (staff only)
- obtain a Workers’ Compensation First Certificate of Capacity from a medical practitioner
- obtain any completed Witness statement forms (staff only) from any witnesses to the accident or provide a brief statement of events if there are no witnesses
- upload where possible or return completed forms with the first certificate of capacity to their line manager or principal
- attend medical reviews and appointments with rehabilitation providers if required and obtain a progress medical certificate after each subsequent medical review
- provide all subsequent workers’ compensation medical certificates to their line manager or principal
- participate in injury management and return to work programs.
If the injured employee does not agree with their return to work program, they should first discuss the issue with their principal or line manager. If the issue cannot be resolved, they should contact the injury management consultant (staff only) for their area.
Under the Workers’ Compensation and Injury Management Act 2023, employees on weekly income compensation payments must notify the Department or the Department’s insurer (ICWA) of their commencement of work with another employer.
An employee who has been transferred from the school where the injury occurred, or is no longer at a school, forwards their medical certificate(s) directly to their workers’ compensation and injury management advisor or hands it to their current school principal or line manager for forwarding.
Injured staff can seek further information and advice on their return to work program) by contacting their injury management consultant, or from WorkCover online or by phoning 1300 794 744.
1.5 Related documents
Relevant legislation or authority
Workers’ Compensation and Injury Management Act 2023
Work Health and Safety Act 2020
Public Sector Management Act 1994
School Education Regulations 2000
WA Public Sector Code of Ethics
Related Department policies
Work Health and Safety policy and procedures
Staff Conduct and Discipline policy
Other documents
Public Sector Standards in Human Resource Management
1.6 Supporting content
Policy
Injury management and workers compensation framework