What is a return to work coordinator
The return to work (RTW) coordinator is responsible for implementing an organisation's return to work program, supporting workers as they recover at work and assisting employers to meet their obligations as required under workers compensation legislation. The RTW coordinator is a key link between the worker and their support team as they recover.
RTW coordinators may help a worker with a workers compensation or motor crash claim, or a non-compensable injury (e.g. sporting injury), to recover at work.
When a return to work coordinator is required
Category 1 employer
Category 1 employers must appoint a RTW coordinator.
A Category 1 employer is an employer:
- with a basic tariff premium over $50,000 a year, or
- who is self-insured, or
- insured by a specialised insurer and has over 20 employees.
Category 2 employer
Category 2 employers do not meet the above criteria for category 1 and do not need a RTW coordinator, but should nominate someone to manage workers compensation and recovery at work activities.
RTW coordinator's role
Your RTW program must outline the RTW coordinator's role in recovery at work planning and managing workers with a work-related injury or illness. These duties must include:
- Compiling initial notification information.
- Coordinating your worker's recovery at work, including identifying suitable work.
- Preparing, monitoring, and reviewing your worker's recover at work plan (in consultation with key parties) that documents the worker's capacity and the duties available.
- Liaising with the worker's support team.
- Supporting the redeployment of workers into suitable work when they cannot return to their pre-injury duties.
- Maintaining confidential case notes and records as per legal guidelines.
- Implementing the RTW program.
- Keeping injury and recovery statistics.
- Promoting the health benefits of work.
- Contributing to policy and system improvements.
A complete list of the responsibilities of the RTW coordinator is outlined in the Guidelines for workplace return to work programs.
Return to work coordinator training
SIRA provides free online training to help your RTW coordinator understand their role and may also benefit personnel nominated as RTW coordinators if you’re a category 2 employer.
This training is for people wanting to work as a return to work coordinator in NSW or existing return to work coordinators wanting to stay up-to-date with their requirements.
It can also be completed by others who would like to find out more about workers compensation and supporting recovery at work.
We recommend that you complete the ‘How to use this portal’ module first to help you understand the system requirements, how to navigate the portal and how different roles will be represented.
Consent
RTW coordinators must work within privacy principles when handling your workers health information. Your RTW program must include confidentiality and record keeping procedures for the workplace. You should obtain the workers consent to exchange information through either the Certificate of Capacity or a signed consent form. SIRA provides a sample form for obtaining/releasing personal information form to facilitate this process.
RTW coordinators may also engage in case conferences with your workers treating doctor and other parties to assist in recovery at work planning. Case conferences are separate to medical consultations, unless the worker and their nominated treating doctor agree otherwise.
Other return to work coordinator arrangements
Employers can outsource the return to work (RTW) coordinator role to meet their NSW workers compensation obligations.
Under these arrangements, employers must ensure the RTW coordinator has the authority to represent and make decisions for the employer on the functions associated with the role.
Employers should appoint a RTW coordinator who has well-established relationships with workers and a good understanding of all aspects of the workplace.
Read the Guidelines for workplace return to work programs for more information.
Updated 19 December 2024