A former Compensation Manager has blown the whistle on Australia Post to the Safety Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission (SRCC), the regulator of self-insurers under the SRC Act 1988.
He alleged that Managers had delayed decisions on workers’ compensation claims to benefit financially from meeting KPIs. The SRCC’s investigation found evidence of delays in processing claims to meet Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate targets in 2012/13 and 2013/14 (under the previous CEO Ahmed Fahour)
The regulator has now imposed new conditions on Australia Post.
- The CEO will have to provide annual confirmation that practices to delay workers’ compensation claims or manipulate reporting are not occurring.
- Comcare will conduct targeted reviews of Australia Post’s claims files for the next 3 years.
- Employees have to be informed of this license breach and will be asked to make claims if they have been disadvantaged.
The Victorian Branch of the union has been meeting with Compensation, Rehabilitation and Human Resources managers about the short-comings of their treatment of injured workers.
- They have promised to take action against any Manager who refuses to provide an incident report or compensation claim to an injured worker.
- They say they will give priority to determining claims for new starters and others without leave entitlements.
- Managers are not to discourage workers from going through the Injury Management process.
- Rehabilitation Programs have to be set in consultation with the injured workers and their treaters.
- Managers are not to attend medical examinations.
CAN AUSTRALIA POST CHANGE
THEIR LONG-STANDING CULTURE IN THE TREATMENT OF INJURED WORKERS?
We need to make them for the sake of our injured members. Please report any poor behaviour to the Union office on 9600 9100
Authorised by Leroy Lazaro Branch Secretary
