Work Assist

What is Work Assist?

Work Assist provides support to eligible employees who have difficulty fulfilling the essential requirements of their role due to their injury, disability or health condition.

The Disability Employment Services provider will work with the Work Assist participant and their employer to provide assistance to maximise support to keep working. In most cases, the participant’s employer (colleagues and management) will be included in the process. However, in some cases where the participant has chosen not to share information about their injury, disability or health condition with their employer, the participant can still request and receive assistance from Work Assist.

For employers

For employers, Work Assist may be able to help if one of your most skilled and experienced staff acquire an injury, disability or health condition that impacts on their ability to perform their work. It makes good business sense to keep these staff engaged (with appropriate adjustments and support) rather than lose valuable talent.

An employer must be of the view that their employee is experiencing difficulties fulfilling the essential requirements of their job, arising from the impact of their injury, disability or health condition and that these circumstances are impacting a person’s ability to keep working. An employer can seek Work Assist support from a DES provider.

For employees

Work Assist provides support to eligible employees who are experiencing significant challenges maintaining their work.

An employee who is having difficulty fulfilling the essential requirements of their employment due to an injury, disability or health condition can seek Work Assist support from a DES provider.

Disability Employment Services

The DES provider will work flexibly with both the employer and employee, or separately with the employee, to help the person to keep working.

Assistance available could include:

Face-to-face support

Advice about job redesign

A comprehensive workplace assessment

Workplace modifications or special equipment

Support in the workplace to help manage the impact of the injury, disability or health condition

Interventions such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy, pain management or psychological counselling

Who can apply?

To apply for Work Assist, an employee must meet the following requirements:

Be currently employed

Have been working in the job for at least eight hours per week on average over a consecutive 13 week period

Be assessed by the DES provider as having difficulty carrying out the essential requirements of their job.

An employee must also meet the following DES eligibility requirements:

Be aged at least 14 years of age but have not attained Age Pension qualifying age
Be an Australian resident or a Temporary Protection Visa (TPV)/Safe Haven Enterprise Visa (SHEV) holder. Employees who are not permanent residents but who hold a current TPV/SHEV, can access DES-Employment Support Services (ESS) Program Services. DES providers should refer to the DES Direct Registration Guidelines for further details about TPV/SHEV holders)
Not be studying full time
Not be receiving assistance from another employment services provider.

Need more help?

Contact a JobAccess Adviser by phoning 1800 464 800 or fill out our enquiry form.