Understanding Your Obligations

What are your obligations?

Both you and your employer have obligations in relation to any injury you sustain at work.

If you are injured at work, you must:

• notify your employer of any injury or illness as soon as possible and within 30 days of becoming aware of it
• complete a notification of injury in order to receive payment for medical expenses and time lost due to medical appointments
• nominate your own treating doctor, usually a GP who agrees to participate in the planning of your return to the workforce
• forward ongoing medical certificates, receipts and accounts for treatment to your employer or CGU within seven days
• actively participate in treatment and planning your return to work
• participate in assessments to determine your capacity, rehabilitation progress and future employment prospects
• make every reasonable effort to return to work in suitable employment
• notify your employer within seven days if you are receiving workers compensation payments and you start working for another employer or you start your own business
• comply with reasonable requests made by CGU with regard to your claim.

If you don’t meet these obligations, your entitlement to weekly payments and medical and other expenses may be affected.

Your employer’s obligations

Your employer must:

• allow you to visit a doctor
• ensure CGU receives notification of the injury
• consult with you, your treating doctor and CGU about the plan for assisting you to return to work
• prepare a Return to Work Plan
• appoint a Return to Work Coordinator as soon as practicable to help coordinate your return to work
• provide you with employment that is suitable based on your capacity to work, until you are able to return to your pre-injury duties
• forward all time loss claims to CGU Workers Compensation within 10 days of receiving it from you
• advise CGU immediately if you start working for another employer.

Your employer is not allowed to terminate your employment for making a claim.

Your treating doctor's obligations

Your treating doctor must:

• recommend necessary treatment for your injury
• fully complete WorkCover medical certificates
• monitor your progress regularly
• consult with CGU and your employer to develop a plan for your return to the workforce.

CGU’s obligations

CGU’s responsibilities include:

• commence paying you weekly workers compensation benefits within seven business days of being informed of your injury or advise you of the reason why payments are not being made
• decide whether to accept or deny your claim for workers compensation and advise you in writing
• pay reasonably necessary medical expenses
• prepare an Injury Management Plan for injuries which last more than seven days.