Return to Work Act 2014

The object of this Part is to establish a system that seeks to ensure that a worker who suffers a work injury—

achieves the best practicable levels of physical and mental recovery; and

returns to the worker's pre‑injury work or, if that is not reasonably practicable, is in any event restored to the workforce and the community in a timely, safe and durable way.

Without limiting subsection (1), the aim is—

to intervene and provide services under this Part as early as is reasonably practicable after a worker suffers a work injury; and

in connection with paragraph (a)—

to return the worker to work in the worker's pre‑injury duties; or

if it is not reasonably practicable to return the worker to work in the worker's pre‑injury duties—to return the worker, either temporarily or permanently, to other suitable duties with the worker's pre‑injury employer; or

if subparagraphs (i) and

are not reasonably practicable—to return the worker, either temporarily or permanently, to work with another employer; or

if subparagraphs (i),

and

are not reasonably practicable—to maximise the worker's independent functioning as a member of the community; and

to ensure that any employer, worker or other person involved in a recovery or return to work process cooperate to achieve the object referred to in subsection (1).

This Part may apply to a worker even if it has not been finally established that the worker's injury is a work injury.