Work capacity assessments in NSW workers compensation – Part Two

Introduction

In our previous article we examined a Work Capacity Decision under NSW workers compensation law.

This article looks at a work capacity assessment.

What is a work capacity assessment then?

It is simply, an assessment of the worker's work capacity. It reviews the worker's functional, vocational and medical restrictions and can occur once every 2 years or at any stage of the claim. As you will see below, a WCD considers more than 'just' capacity, but considers employment at large, age, skills and work experience. Importantly, if a worker is as assessed having a whole person impairment of greater than 30% then a worker is unlikely to have their work capacity assessed, unless the worker requests it, or it is 'appropriate to do so'.