You

The most important person in your return to work is you.

By taking an active role in your recovery and working with others who can support you, you are more likely to have a positive and successful return to work.

To help your return to work you can:

• Stay in contact with your employer and your health professional to discuss your return to work
• Keep your employer up to date with your progress and ask them about options to return to work
• Talk to the TAC about the support we can provide you and your employer

Find out more about the steps to a successful return to work

The TAC

Our role is to ensure you have the right services and supports in place to help you with a successful return to work. In some cases, you might work with more than one person at the TAC.

We will work with you, your employer, and any health professionals or support services you may need.

After your accident, we will contact you to:

• Find out how you are progressing in your recovery
• Talk about your type of work and your plans to return
• Explain what options and supports are available to make your return as smooth as possible.
• Coordinate any additional services or referrals to support your return to work.

Find out more about how the TAC can support you

Your employer

Your employer plays an important part in your return to work. They may be able to help you return to work sooner by finding alternative duties for you while you recover, and/or offering you reduced hours.

It is important that you keep your employer up to date with your recovery and discuss these options with them.

The TAC has a range of supports that may be offered to your employer to help this process.

If your employer can’t find suitable duties for you, or isn’t able to offer you reduced hours, the TAC will continue to support your return to work. You may also be eligible for income support while you are getting ready to return to work.

Your health professional

Your health professional is the best person to recommend how long you need off work and when you can return. For example, this could be your GP, physio, surgeon or chiropractor. They can:

• Tell you what you can and can’t do while you are recovering
• Discuss with you the most suitable options for your return to work
• Provide advice on whether there are any restrictions or equipment needed for your return to work
• Advise you on how to best manage your return to work, such as when to take breaks and when to do exercises.

Your health professional should use a Certificate of Capacity to make these recommendations.

They can also talk about your options with your employer so that suitable duties can be found for you while you are recovering.

Return to work specialist

In some cases, we may refer you to a return to work specialist to support your return to work.

They can work with you, your employer and health professional to help you get back to work safely and successfully. They may also make recommendations and develop a return to work plan.

Find out more about return to work specialists

After your accident

1. As soon as you are able, contact your employer to discuss your potential return to work. You don’t have to fully recovered or have a clear return to date before you start the conversation.
2. Find out if there is an occupational health and safety officer or human resources officer at your work who can support you.
3. Discuss your job with your health professional (such as a GP, physiotherapist or surgeon) to assess how long you need off work, when you can return and what the suitable options are.
4. Ask your health professional to complete a Certificate of Capacity for your employer and the TAC. You can also ask them about what you can do as part of your recovery to help prepare for your return to work.

Preparing to return

1. Keep your employer up to date with your progress, and send them copies of your certificates of capacity.
2. Talk to your employer about your options to return to work. This might include reduced hours or alternative duties. Your health professional or a vocational service provider can also support this conversation.
3. Set goals for your return to work and try to keep positive and motivated – focus on what you can do rather than what you can’t.
4. If appropriate, arrange catch ups with your work colleagues to keep in touch and maintain your work relationships.

When you return

1. Once you return to work, even if it’s part-time, you must tell the TAC so that any income support you are eligible for can be calculated and paid correctly.
2. You can choose whether to discuss your injuries and any limitations at work. It may be helpful for your colleagues to understand what you can and can’t do, or why your duties may have changed.
3. It is important that you feel safe at work. If you need help having conversations with your peers, you should speak to your manager, occupational health and safety officer or human resources officer.
4. Regularly review your return to work arrangements and continue to discuss your recovery progress with your employer, health professional and/or return to work specialist (if applicable).
5. If you have any issues or concerns, you should first discuss this with your employer or return to work specialist. If you need further support, please contact the TAC. We can recommend the next steps to take to help you resolve any issues you are facing.
6. Find out what to do if you have a flare up of your injury.

The TAC can provide a range of services and benefits to support your return to work. Your TAC claims manager will discuss these options with you and let you know how to access them.

Income support

If you are already receiving income support from the TAC, we can continue to offer this benefit until you are fit to fully return to work.

Once you return to work, even if it’s on reduced hours, you must contact the TAC so that your income support can be calculated correctly.

Generally, if you go back to work and your pay is less than the TAC paid you before you returned to work, we can top-up your pay.

Find out more about income support and return to work

Travel to work benefit

If you are unable to travel to work in your usual way because of your accident injuries, you may be eligible for a ’travel to work’ benefit.

The TAC will work with you and your health professional to assess your eligibility. For example, if you drove to work before your accident, but aren’t able to drive at the moment because you have a leg injury, the TAC can reimburse your alternative travel costs.

Your health professional should provide a written request which states that you are not able to travel to work in your usual way. They should also recommend other forms of suitable transport, for example, public transport.

We can pay the travel to work benefit for a maximum of 24 weeks and it is capped at a maximum of $1,730. This amount is updated every year on 1 July.

Return to work plan

If you require extra support to return to work because of your accident injuries, we may recommend a return to work plan.

In most cases, we will refer you to a return to work specialist who will develop the plan with you.

Your plan will be based on what you can do and what you need for a successful return to work. This usually includes:

• an assessment of your workplace and role to find out if you need any changes to support your return
• an outline of your expected duties and hours
• recommendations for any workplace modifications or equipment
• details of any supports the TAC will provide to your employer

The return to work specialist will ensure your plan is agreed to by you, your employer and your health professional before you return to work. They will also monitor your progress once you return.

Allied health and mental health services

Allied health services include a range of treatments to help you move better, relieve pain or improve function. They include treatments such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy and exercise physiology.

Mental health services include treatment or counselling from psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers.

Your healthcare professional may recommend one or more of these services to help you physically and/or mentally prepare for and return to work.

The TAC may consider paying for these services when they are related to your transport accident injuries and support your return to work plan.

Employer supports

The TAC can offer your employer a range of supports as part of your return to work plan, to help make your return as smooth as possible. These include:

• WorkCover Insurance premium protection for the period of your return to work plan (exclusions apply)
• Wage subsidies to compensate your employer financially, while you return to your normal hours and duties
• Paying for modifications to your workplace
• Purchasing equipment to help with your return to work
• One-off payment to help with administrative costs.

Your employer may also be eligible for other government support.

More information for employers is available on our employer page