There is a general requirement in the Workers’ Compensation and Injury Management Act 1981 for you to establish a return to work program in certain situations, such as when any one of the following occurs:

· the worker’s treating medical practitioner advises you in writing that a return to work program should be established for the worker;

· the worker’s treating medical practitioner signs a medical certificate indicating that the worker has partial capacity to return to work; or

· the worker’s treating medical practitioner signs a medical certificate indicating that the worker has total capacity to return to a certain type of work, but may not be able to return to the position they held before they were injured.

If a worker has total capacity to return to work, and is returning to the position held prior to the injury, they can return to work, without a return to work program, under the Workers’ Compensation and Injury Management Act 1981.

In the workers’ compensation system, the injured worker’s treating medical practitioner would usually make decisions about their capacity to return to work.

An injured worker’s treating medical practitioner can inform you that a return to work program is required either by noting it on a medical certificate, or in another form, such as a letter or email.