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SA Unions 'Retraining Injured Workers for Employment' Project Report Released

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Wednesday 7 March 2012

SA Unions 'Retraining Injured Workers for Employment' Project was supported by the Return to Work Fund and addressed the return to work goals of the WorkCoverSA Strategic Plan of 2008–2011. SISA is represented on the Reference Group that helped to facilitate the project. The report of the first phase of the project has been released.

The main objectives of the project were to:

  • test how both training and rehabilitation systems can be better integrated to ensure effective return to work outcomes for injured workers and
  • expand retraining options for injured workers.

An important goal was to change the way training and employment opportunities for injured workers are understood.

A cohort of 50 injured workers participated in the project. Most were referred by the RTW Fund team at Employers Mutual (EML) which is the claims agent for WorkCoverSA. Four were referred by Unions and one was self referred from a self insured employer.

As at June 2011 the project successfully gained training approval for 35 participants, some of whom are still currently in training. 9 participants were successful in gaining employment, although 2 of them did so directly following the skills assessment and training pathways part of the project and did not undertake training.

The project report offers detailed recommendations under four headings:

  • Developing and maintaining the injured worker relationship
  • Discovering the training pathway
  • Employer behaviour and actions
  • Improving the system to encourage retraining and return to work.

To access the full report, click here.