Recovering at work

Working after your injury can help you get better quicker. It helps you get back to your usual activities and routines while you’re recovering.

Why recover at work?

The NSW Compulsory Third Party (CTP) scheme focuses on supporting people to get back to their normal activities, including work, after a motor accident injury.

Work helps you stay active and is an important part of your recovery.

Recovering at work may mean:

• continuing your normal job and attending treatment appointments before or after work
• doing the same job with different hours
• modified duties
• a different job, at the same workplace or a different workplace
• a training opportunity
• a combination of these options.

Did you know?

• the longer you’re away from work, the harder it can be to get back to work
• work helps you stay active and is an important part of your recovery
• staying active helps to reduce pain
• being at work is an opportunity to connect with people and be part of a community
• working provides financial security
• taking a long time off work is worse for you socially, emotionally and physically
• research shows that work promotes recovery and reduces the risk of long term disability and work loss.

How to recover at work

These strategies will help you whether you were working up to the motor accident or not.

• Focus on what you can do and talk to your doctor and your employer about what you can do safely
• Look into the supports you can get to help you recover at work
• Ask your support team (for example, your doctor or insurer) if you have questions (click on the recovery at work support tab above to learn more)
• Monitor your pain levels - remember some increase in pain during activity does not mean that you are making things worse.
• Think about what tasks and jobs you can do if you can’t do your usual tasks or job.
• If you have a job, stay in touch with your employer and the people you work with – there may be training opportunities you can take while you’re recovering.

What you should do

You should take reasonable steps to recover following your motor accident injury.

Recovery plan

A recovery plan sets out your injury management and recovery. If the insurer asks you to, you must participate in its development and then follow the actions set out in the plan.

Certificate of capacity/certificate of fitness

Make sure that your Certificate of Fitness is current and your insurer has a copy. The Certificate of Fitness must be issued by your treating doctor and is valid for up to 28 days. Second and subsequent certificates may be completed by your treating physiotherapist or psychologist using the Certificate of fitness - treating physiotherapist or psychologist. Check with your insurer. Keep your certificate up to date as your insurer may not be able to make payments without a current certificate.

Talk to your employer and the insurer

If you are working, or were working up till the motor accident, talk to your employer about what you can do at work and start planning for your recovery at work as early as possible. You should discuss:

• suitable work options
• any barriers or risks to your recovery and whether workplace modifications or equipment could be helpful (click on the recovery at work support tab above to learn more)
• your recovery plan
• your progress.

If your employer needs assistance with any of these, your insurer can arrange a workplace rehabilitation provider. Your employer also may be eligible for incentives to help them support your recovery at work.

To learn more about workplace rehabilitation providers, see the who can help me recover at work? tab above.

If you are not working, talk to your insurer about getting support to get job-ready or get a new job.