The benefits of a 'suitable duties' plan go beyond just compliance

What are suitable duties?

Suitable duties are modified work tasks, hours, or days adjusted to accommodate an individual's capabilities post-injury or illness, enabling a gradual and safe return to their regular job.

These duties are determined through a customised plan to aid recovery and maintain productivity.

Suitable duties are critical to recovery, as they allow work tasks to be an integrated part of recovery, rather than an end goal.

There is a large body of evidence that indicates incorporating work tasks into a rehabilitation plan results in improved outcomes.1

The Work Health and Safety and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2024 (WHSOLA Act) empowers WorkCover Queensland to impose penalties for employers failing to comply with suitable duties obligations.

Which means, it’s more important than ever for employers to assist or provide an injured worker with rehabilitation via the identification of suitable duties.

To quickly identify suitable duties when an injury occurs, it is crucial to have ‘job task analyses’ (or ‘job dictionaries’) in place.

What are ‘job task analyses’ and why are they so important?

A ‘job task analysis’ (JTA) is exactly what it sounds like; it’s an assessment of factors required to fulfil the functions of a job.

It’s essential to identify these factors as this is considered the end goal for an injured worker to return to.

Having an idea of the end goal then allows an employer to identify steps (i.e. suitable duties) to lead up to the full function of the job, otherwise known as pre-injury duties.

A job task analysis gives relevant stakeholders a clear understanding of the following factors:

• work environment/s
• physical, cognitive, and psychological demands of the job
• personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements
• tools, machinery, and equipment requirements
• physical/psychosocial hazards
• biomechanical requirements for each individual job task

Quicker rehabilitation means better productivity

Detailed JTA and job dictionaries are beneficial throughout a worker’s employment but are especially helpful when there are workplace injuries.

For example, when an employee needs rehabilitation to return to full capacity and be able to engage in pre-injury duties and hours, a detailed JTA and job dictionary allows organisations to quickly identify suitable duties and significantly speed up the return to work process.

Making sure injured employees return to work in a safe manner, as soon as clinically appropriate, means fewer disruptions to usual business operations, productivity, and revenue.

How have your previous experiences shaped your approach to rehabilitation consulting?

Coming from a culturally diverse background and having had the privilege of working with an extensive range of stakeholders, including civilian and military organisations, government and corporate customers, and many others — I appreciate that varying levels of health literacy, experiences, education and cultural factors all influence how an injured individual navigates the clinical, occupational and psychosocial domains along their recovery pathway.

My experiences have allowed me to take an empathetic and understanding approach when dealing with all stakeholders, not just an injured individual, to achieve an optimal outcome for all involved.

To discuss setting up a suitable duties plan, and for guidance and support to help you meet your obligations, contact us at workcare.customers@apm.net.au or 1300 967 522.

¹ Realising the Health Benefits of Work, 2011 - RACP