WORKING on the belief that understanding is an impetus for change, a new website called the Return To Work Knowledge Base seeks to re-educate workers, employers, medical staff and insurers about taking too much time off work after a sickness or accident.
The website, www.rtwknowledge.org, was recently launched by ResWorks, a non-profit foundation established in 2004 to confront occupational health and work disability issues.
The foundation found that when an injury or illness requires sick leave, taking time off work becomes an issue in itself. Most people return to work quickly after sick leave, but a significant minority are absent for a long time, and may remain off work permanently.
Staying away from work for a moderate length of time has a negative effect on our physical and mental health and our beliefs and expectations, the foundation stated.
It found that after a few months off, the chance of ever returning is slim resulting in severe personal and financial consequences for the individual and the workplace.
Being able to return to work isn’t just a matter of how severe the injury or illness is – in fact research has shown that other factors are more important.
On the website, scientific papers have been translated into an easy-to-read format.
They provide up-to-date objective evidence with recommendations for managing a personal injury or illness, best-practice in the workplace, or medical clinic and important factors in workers’ compensation claims.
ResWorks 02 9867 4116 .
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