Service Standard 3 - Suitable and durable employment

3.1 The primary focus of return to work programs under the SRC Act is to assist injured employees to remain at, or return to their pre-injury work. A provider must, wherever possible, approach the return to work of an employee in the following sequence:

(a) Same job/Same employer

(b) Similar job/Same employer

(c) New job/Same employer

(d) Same job/New employer

(e) Similar job/New employer

(f) New job/New employer.

3.2 A provider must consider whether the employee can return to work in the employee’s pre-injury employment or whether the employee should return to modified or alternative duties with the original employer prior to exploring other vocational options.

3.3 Where return to work with the original employer is not possible, the provider may then assist the employer and the employee to identify suitable alternative vocational options for the employee and facilitate placement into suitable and ongoing alternative employment.

3.4 A provider must only consider vocational retraining after all other return to work options have been pursued (taking into account the employee’s age, education and existing skills) and where it is considered that such options are unlikely to achieve desired outcomes. Where retraining is considered, it must be linked to future employment outcomes.