Workplace RehabilitationDocumented return to work plans for injured workers.
A clear, written rehabilitation plan agreed between the worker, the workplace and the treating doctor — so everyone knows what suitable duties look like, what restrictions apply, and how recovery will progress.
The short version
A Return to Work Plan is a written, evidence-based program that documents how an injured worker safely transitions back to productive duties. KINNECT consultants — qualified physiotherapists, occupational therapists, exercise physiologists, osteopaths and rehabilitation counsellors — write each plan in consultation with the worker, their supervisor and the treating doctor. Plans cover suitable duties, hours, restrictions and graduated milestones so everyone has a clear, agreed path back to pre-injury work.
Suitable duties and return to work plans, explained.
A Suitable Duties Plan — sometimes called a light-duties or alternative-duties plan — is a selection of meaningful tasks an injured worker can perform safely while they recover, without the risk of re-injury or re-aggravation.
A Return to Work Plan is the written program — developed with the worker, their supervisor and the treating doctor — that defines how the worker and the employer will progress towards a safe, sustainable return to pre-injury duties. It captures restrictions, expectations and graduated milestones so nothing is left to guess at.
Every KINNECT plan covers
- The worker’s current abilities and any medical restrictions
- A review of the role’s tasks, hours and physical demands
- The suitable or modified duties available right now
- Graduated hours and a clear progression towards pre-injury duties
- Any workplace modifications, equipment or supervision required
- Agreed responsibilities for the worker, supervisor and treating team
Returning to work shouldn’t be guesswork.
A clear plan supports the worker, protects the workplace and keeps recovery moving in the right direction.
Confidence after time off
Workers often worry that an injury will flare up, or that they’ve lost their place on the team. A written plan replaces uncertainty with a clear, supported path back.
A safer, faster recovery
Suitable duties keep workers active and connected — protecting recovery, reducing claim duration and lowering the risk of re-injury or escalation.
Clear expectations on both sides
The plan documents what the worker can do, what the workplace will provide, and what milestones look like — protecting the working relationship and the claim.
From referral to durable return to work.
A simple, repeatable process — built around the worker and grounded in 25+ years of evidence-based practice.
- 1
Referral & triage
Tell us about the worker, the injury and the role. Our team confirms scope, timing and the right consultant for the job — usually within one business day.
- 2
Worker, workplace & doctor consultation
Your KINNECT consultant speaks with the worker, the supervisor and the treating doctor to understand current capacity, restrictions and the realistic duties available.
- 3
Plan written & agreed
A graduated, written plan is drafted, signed off by the worker, the supervisor and the treating doctor, and shared with everyone who needs it.
- 4
Monitor, review & progress
We monitor how the plan is tracking, adjust duties or hours as recovery progresses, and report back so you have clear visibility right through to pre-injury duties.
In your workplace, in our clinic, or both.
Our consultants come to you for worksite assessments and supervisor consults, and host workers at any of our KINNECT clinics across Australia when that’s a better fit.
Onsite at your workplace
Walk the role, observe the tasks and meet the supervisor in person. The result is a plan grounded in the real environment — not assumptions on paper.
In a KINNECT clinic
Where an onsite visit isn’t practical, your worker is seen by one of our consultants in a clinic — same evidence-based approach, same agreed plan, faster scheduling.
Find a KINNECT clinic near you.
Explore our current clinic locations. Service availability varies by clinic, so contact us to confirm the right location for this service.
Queensland
New South Wales
Victoria
Western Australia
South Australia
Northern Territory
Qualified, multi-disciplinary rehab consultants.
Each plan is written by a clinician with the right discipline for the injury — and the industry experience to make the duties realistic.
- Physiotherapists
- Occupational Therapists
- Exercise Physiologists
- Osteopaths
- Rehabilitation Counsellors
- Psychologists
KINNECT is an approved Workplace Rehabilitation Provider with WorkSafe Victoria, NSW SIRA, WorkCover WA and Comcare, and services scheme and self-insured employers in Queensland and South Australia.
Return to Work Plan FAQ.
The questions workers, employers and insurers ask most about return to work planning.
What is a Return to Work Plan?
A Return to Work Plan is a written, evidence-based program documenting how an injured worker safely transitions back to productive duties — covering suitable duties, hours, restrictions and graduated milestones agreed by everyone involved.
Who develops the plan?
A KINNECT consultant — a qualified physiotherapist, occupational therapist, exercise physiologist, osteopath or rehabilitation counsellor — develops the plan in consultation with the worker, their supervisor and the treating doctor.
What does a plan include?
Suitable duties, recommended hours, any medical restrictions, and graduated milestones that step the worker back towards pre-injury work, with review points along the way.
How is the plan agreed?
It is developed collaboratively and signed off by the worker, the workplace and the treating doctor, so everyone shares the same understanding of duties, restrictions and the path forward.
Where are plans delivered?
Nationally, in-clinic or onsite at your workplace — we meet the worker and the workplace wherever it works best.
What if the worker can’t return to their pre-injury role?
Where pre-injury duties aren’t viable, the plan can incorporate alternative or modified duties, and we can draw on related services such as Functional Capacity Evaluations or Vocational Assessments to identify suitable options.
How is progress monitored?
The plan is reviewed and updated as recovery progresses, with milestones adjusted and stakeholders kept informed so issues are addressed early.
Which schemes do you work with?
KINNECT is an approved provider across every major Australian workers’ compensation scheme and supports employers and insurers in all states.
Part of our full workplace rehab suite.
Return to Work Plans pair naturally with these workplace rehabilitation services.
Functional Capacity Evaluations
Standardised FCEs that confirm a worker’s safe, sustainable capacity for duties.
Learn moreWorksite Assessments
Onsite review of the role and environment to identify the right suitable duties.
Learn moreInitial Needs Assessment
The first-step assessment that scopes the rehab plan and any barriers to RTW.
Learn moreVocational Assessments
Identify realistic alternative roles when a return to pre-injury work isn’t viable.
Learn moreHost Employment
Suitable-duties placements with a host employer when own-employer RTW isn’t possible.
Learn more
Let’s build a return to work plan that actually works.
Tell us about the worker and the role — we’ll match you with the right consultant and have a tailored plan in motion fast.