At the 20 April 2012 meeting of the Strategic Issues Group for Workers’ Compensation members agreed to refine its work program. Each Temporary Advisory Group continues to work towards implementing the priorities in the National Workers’ Compensation Action Plan, however some projects have been deferred. The specific work and progress of each TAG is described in more detail below.
1-Return to Work
| Key deliverables |
Investigate and report on options for nationally harmonised tools and guidance on return to work matters that will aim to improve associated outcomes. |
| Progress |
The Strategic Issues Group for Workers’ Compensation has agreed to a set of return to work measures.
The Return to Work Temporary Advisory Group has completed a quality and completeness audit of what data is collected annually under the work status codes in the National Data Set for Compensation-based Statistics 3 (NDS3).
The Strategic Issues Group for Workers’ Compensation agreed to changes recommended by the Return to Work Temporary Advisory Group to work status codes and to additional data items to be added to NDS3 to calculate the agreed return to work measures. |
| Next steps |
Jurisdictions will provide additional data agreed by the Strategic Issues Group for Workers’ Compensation to Safe Work Australia as part of the National Dataset for Compensation-based statistics from November 2012.
The Return to Work Temporary Advisory Group is currently examining the use of non-claims data such as survey and research data to collect qualitative information on return to work outcomes. |
2 - Permanent Impairment
| Key deliverables |
Investigate and report on options for nationally consistent arrangements for assessment of permanent impairment. |
| Progress |
In April 2012, the Strategic Issues Group for Workers’ Compensation considered a discussion paper developed by the Permanent Impairment Temporary Advisory Group on optimal arrangements for the assessment of permanent impairment. |
| Next steps |
The Strategic Issues Group for Workers’ Compensation will consider a final report on nationally consistent arrangements for assessment of permanent impairment in late 2012. |
3 - Definitions
| Key deliverables |
Investigate and report on national consistency for the definition of retirement age and deemed diseases within workers’ compensation legislation. |
| Progress |
In April 2012, Strategic Issues Group for Workers’ Compensation reviewed the definitions to be investigated.
Members agreed to the Definitions Temporary Advisory Group focusing its work on retirement age and any barriers for older workers in workers’ compensation schemes.
The Strategic Issues Group for Workers’ Compensation is considering whether to proceed with a project on nationally consistent deemed diseases. |
| Next Steps |
Policy proposals addressing the barriers for older workers and retirement age are being developed, with a final report due to be considered by the Strategic Issues Group for Workers’ Compensation in late 2012. |
4 - Dust Diseases
| Key deliverables |
Policy options on nationally consistent approaches to dust diseases compensation. |
| Progress |
In April 2012, the Strategic Issues Group for Workers’ Compensation agreed to a work plan for the Dust Diseases Temporary Advisory Group which includes the development of a scoping paper for nationally consistent approaches to dust diseases compensation claims. |
| Next steps |
A scoping paper on nationally consistent approaches to dust diseases compensation is due to be completed in mid 2012. |
5 - Death Entitlements and determination of dependants
| Key deliverables |
Investigate and report on model arrangements for statutory death entitlements and determination of financial dependants under workers’ compensation legislation. |
| Progress |
In April 2012, the Strategic Issues Group for Workers’ Compensation considered a discussion paper developed by the Death Entitlements Temporary Advisory Group on model arrangements for death entitlements. |
| Next steps |
Death Entitlements Temporary Advisory Group will refine the discussion paper on model arrangements for the Strategic Issues Group for Workers’ Compensation consideration in mid 2012. |
6 - Multi-state employers
| Key deliverables |
Identification of the key issues of concern for employers with workers in more than one jurisdiction, and development of policy options for addressing these issues. |
| Progress |
In November 2011, Strategic Issues Group for Workers’ Compensation agreed to conduct focus groups for small to medium multi-state employers.
In March 2012, focus groups to investigate the key areas of concern regarding workers’ compensation for businesses employing workers in more than one jurisdiction were held in Canberra, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. |
| Next steps |
A report identifying key issues of concern to multi-state employers identified in the focus groups will be considered by the Strategic Issues Group for Workers’ Compensation in mid 2012. The Strategic Issues Group for Workers’ Compensation will also consider how to respond to the report at this time. |
7 – Self-insurance
| Key deliverables |
Investigate and report on options for nationally consistent approaches to self insurance. |
| Progress |
The Self Insurance Temporary Advisory Group continues to examine data collections to identify a set of indicators that could be used to compare self insurers and premium payers.
In April 2012, the Strategic Issues Group for Workers’ Compensation agreed that issues relevant to self insurance would be included in return to work survey research. |
| Next steps |
The Self Insurance Temporary Advisory Group is working with the Return to Work Temporary Advisory Group to ensure issues related to self insurance are included in future return to work data collection. |