In Victoria, under Workers’ Compensation legislation, employers are required to appoint a Return-to-Work (RTW) Coordinator. Under the legislation, any appointed RTW Coordinator must either hold an approved qualification or complete the approved training within the specified timeframe to ensure compliance.

A Return-to-Work Coordinator is responsible for assisting injured workers to remain at work or return to work as soon as safely possible.

Employers are also required to provide Return-to-Work Coordinators with the necessary resources and support to effectively carry out their duties. This may include allowing paid time off to complete the mandatory training. At this stage, there are no confirmed details regarding government funding, and it appears that the cost of training will be undertaken by the employer.

Please note that the wage bill is still under review and subject to confirmation, with a chance for it to be lowered.

When an RTW Coordinator must be appointed

Large Employers with an annual wage bill of $2,967,330 or more, (indexed annually):

• Must always have an appointed RTW Coordinator who has completed approved training.
• The training must be completed promptly upon appointment.

Smaller Employers with an annual wage bill below the threshold:

• Must appoint an RTW Coordinator only when they have an obligation to a worker with a work-related incapacity.
• The coordinator must complete training within the duration of that obligation.

The specific deadlines for compliance are expected to be outlined in regulations or guidance issued by WorkSafe Victoria in due course.

Penalties for non-compliance

Penalties for non-compliance and failure to ensure training completion:

• Natural Person: 120 penalty units (equivalent to $118,512).
• Body Corporate: 600 penalty units (equivalent to $592,560).

Penalties for non-compliance and failure to provide facilities and assistance:

• Natural Person: 120 penalty units.
• Body Corporate: 600 penalty units.

Can an external specialist be appointed as a RTW Coordinator?

Yes, they can, and this will make sense to a lot of businesses.  Particularly those businesses with few or infrequent workplace injuries, or without the resources to allocate to this obligation.

Partner with PNO Workplace Risk for expert, compliant Return to Work coordination, without the internal strain

PNO Workplace Risk offers your organisation access to a registered Return to Work Coordinator, helping you streamline compliance without adding pressure to your internal team.

By appointing our experienced workers’ compensation specialists as your RTW Coordinators, you gain expert support tailored to your legal obligations, saving time and ensuring your injured workers are guided through a safe and effective return to work. Our service provided starts at an annual cost of $900 + GST.

Why you should outsource this service to PNO Workplace Risk:

1. Return to Work Coordinator Listing – PNO Workplace Risk will be formally listed as your organisations designated Return to Work Coordinator, meeting WorkSafe Victoria’s requirement to nominate a trained professional who has completed the approved two-day course.
2. Removes internal pressures – Outsourcing your RTW Coordinator role to PNO Workplace Risk alleviates the pressure on your team internally, this is beneficial for businesses without the resources or capacity to manage the responsibilities or complete the required training.

3. Initial Claim Support – PNO Workplace Risk can assist your organisation with initial advice on how to manage a workplace incident claim. Upon notification, we will guide you through the early steps, helping ensure your response is compliant, coordinated, and aligned with best practice.

If you’re interested to find out more about this, speak with our Workplace Risk expert, Paul Marsh at pmarsh@pno.com.au or call (03) 9536 7312.

About the expert – Paul Marsh