Mr Hanks proposes to remove from the law most, if not all, of the employer obligations
in the return to work process and move them to guidance material, regulations and codes
of compliance. He also proposes that OH&S reps be the ONLY people - apart from the
injured worker - who can represent an injured worker in the return to work process.
This is a fundamental attack on an injured worker's right to make their own decision
about who represents them at a critical period in their life.
The VTHC says the obligations must remain in the Act, an injured worker should be able
to choose anyone to represent them and the whole process must be reformed to improve
the rights of injured workers, increase the obligations on employers to return
injured workers to meaningful work.