A new national survey has revealed that return-to-work rates are continuing to drop, exposing a system that is failing injured workers. But you don’t have to face WorkCover alone. Expert legal help can make all the difference, writes Attwood Marshall Lawyers Compensation Law Associate, Yasmine Chalvatzis.
Return-to-work rates are falling, and the gap between what injured workers need and what they’re receiving continues to widen, according to new statistics from Safe Work Australia.
The national return-to-work rate dropped to 88.9 per cent in 2025, down from 91.6 per cent in 2021 and marking a continuation of a downward trend that’s been underway since 2014.
Behind these numbers are real individuals whose lives have been upended by workplace injuries, many of whom are struggling to navigate a system that seems designed to wear them down rather than build them up.
Our team knows firsthand how difficult the workers’ compensation claims process can be. In Queensland, WorkCover has a troubling history of denying legitimate claims, subjecting injured workers to lengthy delays and tactics designed to prevent them from pursuing their claim.
With workers regularly treated with suspicion rather than support, understanding your rights and having proper legal representation is more critical than ever.
Most injured workers still don’t have proper return-to-work plans
The survey results, published last month, gathered responses from over 4,000 injured workers that had returned to their jobs and 754 employers nationwide. The findings will feed into Safe Work Australia’s National Return to Work Strategy 2020-2030, which aims to minimise the impact of work-related injury and illness so that workers can return to work as quickly and safely as possible.
But the survey reveals significant gaps in how this strategy is being implemented.
Only 61.8 per cent of injured workers had a return-to-work plan – a figure that has remained stubbornly stagnant since 2016. This is particularly troubling when the data shows that when workers have a return-to-work plan, they are significantly more likely to successfully transition back to their jobs, at 94 per cent, compared to 81.7 per cent of those without one.
Safe Work Australia acknowledges that such plans are “linked with better self-reported return-to-work outcomes” and that “workers have poorer health outcomes if they are away from work for a long time.”
Yet, nearly four in ten injured workers are still recovering without this critical support tool.
Workers should not be missing out on something that makes such a dramatic difference to their recovery.
What employers get wrong about ‘uncooperative’ workers
This year marked the first survey that included employers as well as individual workers, providing insights into how both parties experience the return-to-work process.
Employers reported three top responses about the barriers they face when managing the return-to-work process: finding suitable work or duties for the injured worker (30.7 per cent), communication with healthcare providers (27.1 per cent), and injured workers being “uncooperative” (26.6 per cent).
In our experience representing injured workers, what employers perceive as “uncooperative” behaviour is often a worker protecting their health and advocating for their rights.
The survey also revealed a significant gap in perceptions between workers and employers regarding return-to-work outcomes. While 88.9 per cent of workers reported successfully returning to work, employers reported a much lower figure of just 70.8 per cent.
This 18-point difference likely reflects several factors: workers may count any return to work, even briefly or with another employer, as success, while employers may only recognise sustained returns to their own workplace. The gap could also indicate that some workers who left their original employment after an injury went on to work elsewhere, a return-to-work outcome the original employer wouldn’t necessarily know about.
Either way, communication between the employer and the worker is falling short.
Psychological injuries: the growing crisis no one is addressing
What both groups agree on, however, is that workers with psychological injuries face greater barriers, with both workers and employers reporting lower return-to-work rates for these claims compared to physical injuries.
Interestingly, workers with psychological injuries were significantly less likely to return to work, with only 76.5 per cent successfully returning compared to 90.2 per cent of those with physical injuries.
Workers with psychological injuries often require more comprehensive, tailored support to return to work successfully. Yet they are frequently met with scepticism, delays, and inadequate return-to-work plans that fail to account for the complexity of their conditions.
When employers help early, everyone benefits
The survey also reinforces what research has long shown about the value of early employer intervention. Workers who received help from their employer to manage their injury before lodging a claim had dramatically better return to work rates – 51 per cent compared to just 27.2 per cent for those who didn’t receive early support.
Early intervention programs are designed to help injured workers recover more quickly and return to work sooner. Still, a Monash University study a few years ago found that many of these plans are too generic, failing to account for individual workers’ needs. This has led to premature return-to-work attempts, re-injury, extended time off work and in some cases, permanent damage to their health and careers.
Read our detailed analysis of the early intervention report and what it means for workers here.
Get the support you deserve
Overall, the declining return-to-work rates don’t surprise us. They reflect what we witness daily: injured workers treated as numbers in a system that is more focused on closing files than on supporting recovery.
Our clients report that their experience depends entirely on which claims officer is assigned to their case, and the inconsistency is staggering.
Too many workers are rushed back to their duties before they’re physically ready. Others are refused necessary treatment or endure interrogations about pre-existing conditions that leave them feeling like criminals rather than people seeking legitimate support.
When WorkCover prioritises speed and cost savings over individualised care and genuine rehabilitation, workers can’t successfully return to work and recovery times are prolonged.
Attwood Marshall Lawyers – helping injured workers access the treatment and compensation they deserve
Engaging an experienced compensation lawyer is important to protect your rights and ensure you receive the treatment and support you’re entitled to. A specialist personal injury lawyer can advocate on your behalf throughout the claims process and push back against any unreasonable return-to-work demands.
Attwood Marshall Lawyers offers a free case assessment to review your claim and explain what you can expect so that you know where you stand from the start. We also operate on a No Win, No Fee basis for all workers’ compensation claims.
For a confidential discussion about your specific circumstances, please call our Compensation Law Department Manager, Tyra Hanson, on direct line 07 5506 8261, email thanson@attwoodmarshall.com.au or call our 24/7 phone line on 1800 621 071.
