While the new guidelines are targeted at insurers, they also establish insurer, employer and worker responsibilities for RRTW planning, how these interact, and why it’s important to work together to achieve positive outcomes for an injured worker.

Employers play a key role in return to work planning, and an employer’s attitude towards a returning worker can have a critical influence on return to work outcomes.

An injured worker’s tailored RRTW plan, which is coordinated by an insurer, is an important tool for an employer to influence return to work outcomes and to work collaboratively with a worker, their insurer, and a worker’s treating health providers towards a shared goal.

If possible, employers should offer alternative work duties to support recovery at work. The suitable duties program an employer develops for an injured worker details how to do this and is a key component of a worker’s RRTW plan.

By supporting an injured worker to return to work quickly and safely, employers will improve return to work outcomes for a worker, as well as improve productivity and reduce costs for their business.