Workplace Reintegration Management: Who Qualifies and What You Get
Learn how this structured process helps employees return to work after long-term illness and the legal risks of not offering it.
Workplace Reintegration Management is a structured process designed to help employees return to their jobs after being away due to illness. It aims to support the worker and prevent long-term disability.
Who it's for
This scheme applies to employees who have been absent from their workplace for more than six weeks within a single year. If an employee's health issues cause this level of absence, they qualify to be part of this reintegration process.
What you get
The main benefit is a formal, structured process meant to facilitate a safe return to work. By following this system, the goal is to provide enough support and management to prevent an employee from facing permanent disability due to their health condition. It acts as a bridge between being on sick leave and being fully back in a professional role.
What it costs you
For employers, participating in this process is not optional; it is a mandatory offer that must be extended to the employee. While the brief does not list specific administrative fees, the cost involves the time and effort required to manage the process and meet the legal obligation to offer it to the staff member.
The catch to know
The most important thing for employers to understand is the legal consequence of ignoring this process. If an employer fails to offer this reintegration management to a qualifying employee, it can lead to serious legal issues. Specifically, a failure to offer this support can make a dismissal of that employee legally invalid.
How to apply
- Monitor employee attendance to identify when an individual has been absent for more than six weeks in a year.
- Formally offer the reintegration management process to the qualifying employee.
- Engage in the structured reintegration process to help the employee return to their duties.