WorkCover and Rehabilitation
Workcover
WorkCover is Victoria's workers' compensation scheme, governed by the Accident Compensation Act 1985 (the Act), and administered by the Victorian WorkCover Authority. Under the Act an employee who sustains an injury arising out of or in the course of employment and if the employee's employment was a significant contributing factor, shall be entitled to compensation.
WorkCover:
- Covers reasonable medical and like services and rehabilitation;
- Provides weekly payments of compensation if there is incapacity for work after the injury/illness. Weekly payments are a percentage* of the pre-injury average weekly earnings of the employee. For claims lodged after 01 September 2000, regular overtime and shift allowances are included in the compensation rate for the first 26 weeks of weekly payments;
- Assists an employee to return to work as quickly and safely as possible after their injury or illness.
The University places great emphasis upon early intervention and rehabilitation of injured employees. Rehabilitation is the cornerstone of the WorkCover scheme and early return to work is an expected outcome.
The University is committed to providing a healthy and safe work environment for the University Community and actively seeks to ensure the prevention of workplace injury and/or illness.
The University is a self-insured organisation approved by the Victorian WorkCover Authority to manage and be liable for its WorkCover claims. For further information see the "If You Are Injured" poster, you can also view the University's WorkCover Policy.
Rehabilitation/ Return to Work
- The University of Melbourne is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace for all employees, students, and visitors to all campuses. In the event of a work related injury we will take all necessary steps to ensure the injury does not happen again.
If an employee sustains a work related injury resulting in an inability to continue with normal duties, the University will provide the necessary assistance for them to remain at work, or return to suitable duties at the earliest opportunity. The University will do this through its Injury Risk Management Program and Occupational Rehabilitation Program.
The University also extends its commitment to providing reasonable assistance where practicable to assisting an employee to return to work following a Non-work Related Injury or Illness.
- The role of the Return to Work Coordinator is to facilitate the return to work of injured employees whether the condition is covered by WorkCover or not. Please contact your Return to Work Coordinator for further information regarding potential assistance for non-compensable (not WorkCover) injuries or illnesses. Please note that unless specified, information provided in "Rehabilitation and Return to Work" relates to compensable (WorkCover) related injuries or illnesses.
Injury Risk Management Program
The Risk Management Office is committed to embracing Environment, Health and Safety management goals. Our primary goal is preventative action and setting standards that continually improve the EHS performance of the University.
The University will:- Take all practicable steps to identify, assess and control any known or potential risks to employees, students and visitors.
- Encourage the early reporting of any symptoms of an injury or Illness related to the work undertaken.
- Investigate all incidents, accidents, injuries or near misses to identify their cause(s) and prevent them happening again.
- Comply with all our legal obligations, including notification of incidents to Worksafe Victoria when required.
The EHS Manual utilises model procedures to implement this program.
For further information, refer to the University site for Environmental Health & Safety.
Please note: all information provided is subject to legislative and University policy changes.