by Danielle Bolton | Aug 20, 2023 | ASIEQ
Members are invited to the August forum. Our meeting will be held in the offices of MinterEllison. Details are:
Date: Wednesday 23 August 2023
Time: 9am for the meeting, 10.20am for the professional development session
Where: Minter Ellison, Level 22, Waterfront Place, 1 Eagle Street, Brisbane
A Microsoft Teams dial in link also available.
To RSVP, please email our Secretariat and advise if you are attending in person or via Teams. If in person, please also advise if you have any dietary requirements.
The professional development session will include important information on:
- MAT Referral Guidelines for Insurers training,
- Qld workers’ compensation scheme trends with OIR’s data and evaluation services,
- the Respect at Work training for workers’ compensation bodies, and
- a general update which will include the Audit Tool review, 5 year scheme review, MAT timeframes and information on the Workers’ Compensation Regulator.
For documents for this Forum, please click here.
This is a session you won’t want to miss.
by Danielle Bolton | Oct 1, 2021 | ASIEQ
Executive Committee Nominations
Members are invited to nominate for the 2021/22 Association of Self Insured Employers of Queensland Executive Committee. The role will be effective from the Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 27 October until the 2022 Annual General Meeting in late October 2022.Members are also invited to nominate for the 2020 Committee. Nominations open on1 October and will close at 5pm (AEST) on Friday 15 October 2020.
Members are encouraged to download the following By-Law which contain information on role responsibilities for the Executive Committee.
Just a reminder that the organisation is the member and therefore can nominate one person per organisation. The positions are open to full financial members only. Full members can nominate an Associate Member to represent them.
Should you wish to discuss any of the positions available on the ASIEQ Executive, you can contact a current committee member or our Secretariat.
by Danielle Bolton | May 12, 2021 | ASIEQ
Members are invited to come to the May 2021 forum on Wednesday 19 May at the offices of MinterEllison, level 22, 1 Eagle Street, Brisbane.
The forum will include the quarterly general meeting and presentations by NIISQ, 3DMS, Occphyz Consulting and Back2Work Solutions who will sharing case studies on return to work programs.
For more information, click here.
by Danielle Bolton | Dec 2, 2020 | ASIEQ
Members are invited to attend the ASIEQ Christmas Networking function. We haven’t had a chance since February to mingle and catch up and what better time to do it than just before Christmas.
We hope you will join us:
Thursday 17 December from 4pm
Toobirds Bistro and Bar
127 Creek Street, Brisbane
Each member is welcomed to two complimentary tickets for some drinks and nibbles and great conversation.
To RSVP, please email our Secretariat and advise how many tickets you would like.
by Digital Nomads HQ | Jan 20, 2020 | ASIEQ
ASIEQ are very pleased to launch our Mission, Vision and Value.
Our Mission
Striving for sustainable outcomes for workers and employers in Queensland by supporting flexible insurance and injury management arrangements that integrate safety, health and wellbeing.
Our Vision
To be recognised as a valuable contributor to the future direction of the workers compensation scheme in Queensland by providing insights, innovation and practical solutions.
Our Values
Respect
In all our interactions with a focus on openness, active listening and valuing diversity
Collaboration
By working together to build strong relationships
Accountability
By demonstrating good governance, acting responsibly, protecting privacy and displaying integrity
Achievement
With a clear focus on excellence, quality, sustainability and continuous improvement
by Digital Nomads HQ | Jan 10, 2020 | ASIEQ
Issue 1 – Managing Review Time Frames.
Welcome to the initial 20:20 Report designed to highlight issues affecting Workers’ Compensation Industry with a view to providing information and assistance that be useful in understanding or managing the issue. It is important that members or individuals seek their own independent advice on any of the issues that are raised or discussed in the ’20:20 Report’.
It has come to the attention of members that due to high volumes of review applications and reducing staff levels within the Review Unit, that delays are occurring in allocating applications to review officers of between 30 to 40 business days. As you may be, aware Review Officers have 25 business days to make a decision and a further 10 business days to provide written reasons for the decision. It is therefore possible for the legislated review period to be exceeded even before the case is allocated to a review officer.
It is important that injured workers are informed in advanced of the potential delays in the review process so that they can make timely and informed decisions in regards to lodging early reviews with the Review Unit. Workers have 3 months to lodge a review, however if they delay in lodging the review application the additional time taken to allocate an application may delay other opportunities to resolve issues whilst they await a decision.
The intention of the legislation is to provide a prompt and non-adversarial process for review of insurer decisions. Unfortunately, the delays in allocating applications to review officers appear to be increasing. It also appears that in the absence of a prioritising process to advance particular cases for early review, some workers could face financial difficulties or psychological issues whilst waiting for a review decision.
Here are some options to consider when advising workers of a reviewable decision made by the insurer:-
- When providing reasons for decision to workers, the insurer could highlight that there may be significant delays in the allocation process to a review officer and encourage workers who wish to have the decision reviewed to do so promptly;
- The insurer could advised the Worker or their agent that under Section 546 “ If the Regulator does not make a review decision within the time allowed under section 545(1) or (4), the applicant may appeal to an industrial magistrate against the Regulator’s failure to make the decision”;
- The insurer when providing details of the reasons for the decision to the worker could offer to self review the decision, if additional information was provided;
- The insurer could consider alternative dispute resolution options such as mediation to see if an alternative resolution strategy was appropriate;
- In cases where financial hardship may result, a worker could be advised to consider applying for other potential income sources. e.g. personal accident insurance, sickness benefits or maybe superannuation.
- Under Section 220 if the decision by the insurer has stopped compensation and the worker has not returned to work, the insurer must refer the worker to an accredited rehabilitation and return to work program.
- On receipt of a notification from the Review Unit of a delay in allocating an application, the insurer could write to the Director of Reviews and Appeals and act as an advocate for the worker by requesting consideration be given to expediting the allocation process having regarding to the particular circumstances of the case.
- In psychological cases, the worker could be referred to a relevant employee assistance program or the Workers’ Psychological Support Service coordinated by the QLD Council of Unions for assistance during the review period.
Insurers that experience regular reviews of claims decisions should endeavour to review their own decision-making processes to consider options in regards to improving their communication with workers about decisions and entitlements. This could include the development of simplistic and less legalistic reasons for decisions so the worker can better understand the reasons for the decision and clarify their entitlements.
If you would like any issues covered by the 20:20 REPORT please forward a brief email to admin@asieq.com.au outlining the topic you would like to be reviewed.
