Return to Work Programme - Australia

Sources: Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service, Department of Family and Community Services, Department of Employment and Workplace Relations

• Overview
• Objectives
• Eligibility
• Tasks of the CRS Australia
• Return to work plans

The Return to Work programme was announced in the 1999-2000 budget and is designed to improve job opportunities for job seekers returning to the workforce. It is a voluntary programme and available to job seekers not currently receiving other employment assistance, regardless of their income support status. Job seekers who are on income support must be registered with Centrelink as unemployed.

The programme is separate from Job Network as it is preparatory in nature rather than focused on employment outcomes. The Return to Work services are delivered to job seekers for the Department by contracted Managing Agents in each State and Territory. Centrelink provides information about the Managing Agents and the programme to the job seekers. The participants then approach the Managing Agents for their placement in the programme. An individual Return to Work plan is developed during the introductory interview, where services such as referral to other career counselling or training are provided. An exit interview takes place when the training is completed.

During the contract period March 2000 to March 2002 it is expected that about 16 000 people will be assisted at a cost of $9.6 million. From 2002-2004 it is expected that the programme will assist 19 000 carers at a cost of $12.9 million.

Objectives

It is a process aimed at returning a person to full time or alternative work.

It involves increasing a person's work hours and duties over a specified time frame. The return to work program aims to ensure that all tasks are carried out safely.

Eligibility

Income support recipients and non income support recipients can access the programme if they meet the following criteria:

• their main activity over the last two years was as an unpaid care giver of children under the age of 16 years or a carer of a person who is disabled, frail aged or chronically ill;
• they have not been in paid employment for more than 15 hours a week for more than 13 weeks in either year of the past two years;
• they are looking for paid employment;
• in the case of migrants, they have lived in Australia for more than two years; and
• in the case of income support recipients, they have registered as unemployed with Centrelink and are not immediately eligible for labour market services (except for Job Matching) such as Job Search Training or Intensive Assistance or assistance under the Jobs, Education and Training (JET) programme.

Tasks of the CRS Australia

The Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service (CRS Australia) will

• clarify the person's medical restrictions.
• match the person's work capacity to the job demands.
• negotiate suitable duties and hours with the relevant parties.
• draw up the return to work program
• obtain the treating doctor's approval
• undertake regular monitoring
• increase the hours and duties as appropriate until full duties or alternative employment is achieved.
• provide appropriate support

Return to work plans

A return to work plan identifies suitable duties. Suitable duties are the parts of a job designed to allow an early return to work.

Return to work plans should include:

• name of client/injured worker
• position title
• supervisor
• specific duties to be performed
• considerations for each duty
• hours and/or days of work
• specific duties to be avoided
• start and end dates for the return to work program
• monitoring arrangements
• signatures of the all relevant parties
• additional information that may be required as part of the return to work program depending on the specific state/territory.

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