by ABILITY GROUP | Mar 11, 2019 | Work Health & Safety, Workplace safety
No worker should face the risk of not coming home from work. We promote it is essential all Australian workplaces take every precaution to ensure their employees return home safe at the end of every day. So what are Australia’s most dangerous industries?
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by ABILITY GROUP | Feb 22, 2019 | Workers Compensation
Accessing worker medical records in Australia is a sensitive issue. Employers may need medical information to assess fitness for work, manage workplace safety, or process workers’ compensation claims. However, privacy laws and employee rights place clear limits on what can be requested and how records are handled.
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by ABILITY GROUP | Feb 14, 2019 | Injury Prevention, Work Health & Safety, Workplace safety
Workers’ compensation claims can become complex when pre-existing conditions are involved. A pre-existing condition refers to any illness, injury, or health issue that existed before a workplace incident. These may include chronic illnesses, old sports injuries, degenerative diseases, or mental health conditions.
Understanding how these conditions impact claims is essential for both employers and employees.
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by ABILITY GROUP | Feb 10, 2019 | Workers Compensation
In the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Return to Work (RTW) Coordinators play a vital role in helping injured employees recover and reintegrate into the workplace. Their responsibilities extend beyond compliance, they ensure that workers receive the right support, employers meet their obligations, and the return to work process is safe, fair, and effective
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by ABILITY GROUP | Jan 14, 2019 | Claim management, Injured Worker, Injury Management, Reforms, Workers Compensation
Beginning 1 January 2019, the State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA) introduced reforms to the workers’ compensation dispute resolution process, aligning with the Workers Compensation Legislation Amendment Act 2018. These reforms were designed to streamline claims handling, reduce disputes, and improve support services for injured workers and employers.
Goals of the Reform
- Minimize disputes through clearer processes
- Improve efficiency in claims management
- Ensure faster responses from insurers
- Enhance transparency and accountability
- Provide stronger support services for both workers and employers
Five Key Changes Impacting Injury Management
- Centralized Dispute Resolution
- The Workers Compensation Commission (WCC) now resolves all disputes.
- Injured workers benefit from mandatory internal reviews, ensuring fairer outcomes.
- Timely Insurer Responses
- Insurers must respond within 14 days to work capacity decisions or liability reviews.
- Legal costs for workers challenging work capacity decisions are covered by Independent Legal Assistance & Review Service (ILARS).
- Improved Decision Transparency
- Notice templates must clearly identify information received from employers, workers, and insurers.
- This ensures decisions are based on complete and balanced evidence.
- Clear Complaint Pathways
- Workers’ insurer remains the first point of contact.
- Unresolved employer complaints go to SIRA (13 10 50 / contact@sira.nsw.gov.au).
- Unresolved worker complaints go to Workers Compensation Independent Review Office (WIRO) (13 94 76 / contact@wiro.nsw.gov.au).
- Permanent Impairment Compensation
- In certain cases, the WCC can award permanent impairment compensation without referral to an Approved Medical Specialist.
Please contact us to discuss.