Under the Workers' Compensation and Rehabilitation Regulation 2003, if a worker is injured at work, employers are obliged to participate in rehabilitation. This obligation includes offering suitable duties and graduated return to work programs as appropriate. These rehabilitation programs must be approved by the treating medical practitioner.

Workplaces are required to appoint a Rehabilitation and Return to work Coordinator if:

• Their annual wages are more than $6.692 million; or
• If they are in a high risk industry, with wages in Queensland for the preceding financial year of $2.037 million.

When a worker is injured it can have wide ranging effects on an organisation, from loss of production, the financial burden of claims and negative cultural affects. The need for assistance managing WorkCover claims will depend on the number of workers, the organisation's claims history, availability of appropriate internal resources and the risk of common law claims.

Stack Masula employs staff trained in Workers' Compensation legislation, rehabilitation co-ordination and injury management. Stack Masula can be appointed as an organisation's Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator and directly work with your injured worker to ensure a speedy recovery and return to work. Alternatively we can provide our years of claims management experience to support an internally appointed Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator.

Stack Masula's involvement in actively managing your WorkCover claims can contribute to:

• Reducing WorkCover insurance premiums;
• Reducing the worker's time away from work;
• Reducing the cost of individual claims;
• Reducing internal resource requirements;
• Reducing the risk of successful common law claims; and
• Increasing positive return to work outcomes.