Return to work
Return to work coordinator services for Australian employers
What a return to work coordinator does, when to outsource one, and how good plans and suitable duties get injured workers safely back to work.
Return to work coordination across every Australian workers' compensation scheme.
The short version
A good return to work is coordinated, not left to chance
When a worker is injured, the path back to work rarely manages itself. Certificates change, duties need adjusting, and several parties hold part of the picture: the worker, their doctor, the employer and the insurer.
A return to work coordinator brings those parts together. The role is required under workers compensation law, though the exact duties and thresholds differ by state. In Victoria, employers must appoint a return to work coordinator with an appropriate level of seniority who completes approved training. In NSW, category one employers must have a trained return to work coordinator under the Workers Compensation Regulation.
This hub explains, in plain English, what the role involves, what a workable return to work plan looks like, and how suitable duties and early action shorten recovery.
Talk to us about a claim
The role
What a return to work coordinator actually does
The coordinator is the person who owns the return to work: keeping it moving, keeping it safe, and keeping everyone informed.
A single point of coordination
The coordinator connects the worker, treating team, employer and insurer so the recovery plan doesn't stall between them.
A workable return to work plan
A written plan built around current capacity: suitable duties, hours and review dates that everyone has agreed to.
Recovery kept on track
Regular check-ins, upgraded duties as capacity improves, and early action when something isn't going to plan.
When to outsource
When it makes sense to outsource your return to work coordinator
Many organisations name a return to work coordinator on paper but don't have the time, training or capacity to run the role well, especially when a claim is complex, psychological, or simply not progressing.
The signs it's worth bringing in a specialist are consistent: claims that keep stalling, managers stretched thin, uncertainty about suitable duties, or a return to work plan that never quite landed. Outsourcing the coordination is a sensible option for businesses with few injuries or without the resources to run the role in-house.
We act as your outsourced coordinator, running the plan from start to finish while you stay in control of decisions about your workplace.
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How it works
From capacity to a durable return to work
A clear, sequential way to build and run a return to work plan around what the worker can safely do.
Assess capacity
We confirm what the worker can safely do now, drawing on the certificate of capacity and the treating team's advice.
Identify suitable duties
We work with the employer to find meaningful duties that fit that capacity. Real work, not busywork.
Agree the plan
Duties, hours, supports and review dates are set out in writing and agreed by the worker, employer and insurer.
Review and upgrade
We monitor progress, upgrade duties as capacity improves, and adjust promptly when the plan needs to change.
The building blocks
Suitable duties and early intervention
Two things do more than anything else to get an injured worker back to work well: the right duties, and acting early.
Meaningful suitable duties
Suitable duties, sometimes called light duties, are real tasks matched to what a worker can safely do while recovering. Good suitable duties keep a worker engaged and building back toward their pre-injury role, rather than sitting idle or doing token work.
Early intervention
The longer a worker is away, the harder returning becomes. Acting early, while capacity is being established and before a worker disengages, keeps the connection to the workplace strong and is one of the most reliable ways to achieve a durable return to work.
Everyone on the same page
A return to work works best when the worker, treating team, employer and insurer share one plan. A certificate of capacity is the medical document, completed by the treating doctor, that sets out the worker's diagnosis and what they can safely do. The coordinator turns that certificate into agreed, practical duties and keeps everyone aligned as capacity changes.
Funding
A note on who pays for rehabilitation
Once a claim exists, the insurer engages and pays for an approved workplace rehabilitation provider, the specialist who delivers return to work and vocational services such as workplace assessments, capacity assessments and, where needed, help finding suitable work with a new employer. In NSW these providers are approved by SIRA, and the insurer is responsible for engaging them and paying for their services. We coordinate closely with these providers so the plan is one coherent effort rather than several disconnected ones.
Guides
Return to work guides
Plain English guides on coordination, plans and suitable duties for employers and brokers.
In-depth return to work guides are being published here. In the meantime, get in touch.
Browse insightsRelated services
Where return to work fits into the wider claim
Return to work coordination sits alongside how we manage claims and psychological injury.
Frequently asked questions
What does a return to work coordinator do?
A return to work coordinator organises a worker's safe, timely return after injury or illness. They assess current capacity, arrange suitable duties, prepare and monitor the return to work plan, and keep the worker, treating team, employer and insurer working from the same page.
Can we outsource our return to work coordinator to IMA?
Yes. Many employers don't have the time or in-house expertise to coordinate returns to work well, especially for complex claims. We act as your return to work coordinator, running the plan from start to finish while keeping you informed and in control of decisions about your workplace.
What is a return to work plan?
A return to work plan is a written document that sets out the suitable duties a worker will perform, their hours, any supports or restrictions, and the dates the plan will be reviewed. It is built around the worker's current capacity and updated as that capacity changes.
What are suitable duties or light duties?
Suitable duties, sometimes called light duties, are tasks matched to what a worker can safely do while recovering. Good suitable duties are meaningful and fit the current medical capacity, so the worker stays connected to the workplace and builds back toward their pre-injury role.
How does early intervention help a return to work?
The longer someone is away from work, the harder returning becomes. Acting early, while capacity is being established and before a worker disengages, keeps the connection to the workplace strong and is one of the most reliable ways to achieve a durable return to work.
Need a return to work coordinator?
Tell us where a return to work has stalled and we'll tell you plainly how we can help, with no obligation. Or call 1300 477 662.