Our most loyal contributor “None” alerted us earlier today that WorkSafe just tweeted the following: “WorkSafe_Vic: Need #OHS or #workers compensation help? Call our free and confidential advisory service on 03 9641 1444 or toll free 1800 236 089″
Worksafe complaints
We are all a bit concerned about this — especially use of the word “confidential”. We all know that anything said to the WorkSafe will be immediately added to the claim file and accessible by the insurer (if and when a claim is made). In fact all that is said goes straight to the insurer (case manager), sometimes within minutes!
And whilst WorkSafe complaints (Advisory) Service can be useful at times, for example when you have issues with your case manager (e.g unpaid accounts, delayed stuff etc); this tweet suggests to that this might be some “advocacy service” operating for the benefit of the injured worker. We all know, us injured workers, that this is not the case. This is simple the “WorkSafe complaints dude/Gal who deals with complaints we may have about insurance companies”
We have certainly personally experienced pretty rude WorkSafe “Advisors”, bloody oath, you can hear their eyes roll up!
Injured workers would be best off seeking advice from union, solicitor or other independent party, not from WorkSafe/WorkCover. For Conciliation matters, WorkCover Assist is pretty good.
Anything said to them might otherwise prejudice injured workers’ claims.
There is nothing confidential about that service and WorkSafe should cease making such claims.
Surely you must have figured that out already 
[Sourced by "None" with a big thank you!]
UPDATE 8 February 2012
As commented by “Injured”
SHAME ON YOU, WORKSAFE_VIC! I will also make sure EVERYBODY knows what you claim versus what you do! Unfollowing a popular and great blog where injured workers are heard and able to voice their concerns and experiences SHOULD be closely followed by WOKRSAFE_VIC! What better place to offer your claimed “Advisory Services” and support to Victorian injured workers???? What better place to see what is going on and why so many injured workers feel DECEIVED by workcover and worksafe? What better place to LEARN to make things better for injured workers? Go on, STICK you head in the sand – MAKE us, injured workers, GO AWAY by blocking our injured voices, ignore our pleas, BUT PLEASE THEN DO NOT FALSELY ADVOCATE FOR INJURED WORKERS!
> Surely you must have figured that out already
I have indeed, however it is important that others are made aware of this.
I would hate to see an injured worker miss out on the compensation they are legally entitled to just because they inadvertantly said something to the so-called “assistance” service.
People in ALL states of Australia should be equally wary of providing information to WorkCover — they all operate some help desk type service.
In NSW, like in Victoria, WorkCover immediately transmits all information to the relevant insurer. There is NOTHING confidential about this service.
Remember recently that in Queensland the “adviser” will try to change the “atitiude” of the injured worker. See previous article here http://aworkcovervictimsdiary.com/2012/01/workcover-qld-has-chosen-to-rebrand-its-case-managers-to-customer-advisers/
You’re more than right and sum it up nicely – I just meant “surely you must have figured that out already…” sarcastically
I totally got the sarcasm, I guess I just wanted to be clear for any newbies that might read this site. They’re the ones (the newbies) that need to upskill on the dirty tactics of WorkSafe and WorkCover across Australia.
My wife was harassed and bullied at work for a couple of years, I advised her to document everything, and she did. No amount of complaining to her Senior Management where she worked, (National Retail Outlet) helped out. The Senior Managers all stuck together until finally she snapped. That matter is before the courts, that is why I can not supply details JUST YET, HOWEVER, she also lodged a complaint with WorkSafe in Victoria, because the harassment, bullying and unhealthy work requirements were epidemic with that particular employer. The insurer had sent a Private Investigator to take a statement from my wife, which she obliged with diarised notes. Her Statement was some 24 pages of allegations, upon making a complaint to WorkSafe to investigate the company they stated my wife was required to fill in their forms and provide another Statement to them in their format. Now as you can appreciate by this time my wife’s mental health had deteriorated and she could not refill the forms. I contacted WorkSafe and asked why they could not work off the supplied 24 page statement the Private Investigator had taken, they said they could not, and my wife was required to fill in their forms herself in her own handwriting. My wife could not bring herself to do it and I would not put myself in a position of lying by filling out their forms. She was diagnosed with PTSD, Anxiety and clinical depression, she has already made one attempt at suicide all due to her work conditions, which from her friends are STILL the SAME at this organisation. WorkSafe refused to investigate, the idea of informing and complaining to WorkSafe was to have them investigate and make sure those work practices of harassment and bullying ceased and did not injure anybody else. It was too late for her and her matter was already in the litigation phase. Her case is strong and upon completion, all will be revealed employer details and their unhealthy work practices. However, it has not stopped her former employer, (which she is still employed by just on sick leave getting treatment from a Psychiatrist) there will be others in her position until after her court case is made public. At the moment it is subjudice. WorkSafe should be ashamed of themselves and when this matter finally airs out in public I wonder what the public reaction will be for their well spent tax dollars on WorkSafe and their supposed investigations.
Wow, what a story! I am very proud that you shared the bulk with us, as all injured victims, insurance companies, employers, WorkSafe, WorkCover, lawyers, private investigators, case managers,….,and the whole WORLD needs to know about this. That is why I encourage anyone of you to share your story (without ID)! We cannot publish enough disgusting stories to show the world what is actually going on.
I am not surprised at your (wife) story, my own experience with WorkSafe and all things workcover are not any better.
WorkSafe really could not care less. At one stage, I was unlawfully terminated and put a 30 something complaint in writing to Worksafe. My case was also about extreme bullying, harassment and humiliation. Guess what? I never even heard a peep about it, HOWEVER, months later we found out that I had been “re-instated” without my knowledge! So basically I received a sacking letter after the bullying etc, put a formal complaint in and months later discovered accidentally that I had a new job. My own job was terminated, a new one created in a role that was most inappropriate considering medical restrictions etc, and I was demoted as well. And all this whilst I have a permanent certificate of incapacity (for the foreseeable future)! So, it’s not even like I can RTW. They did this to mitigate their losses in a law suit.
So,obviously WorkSafe passed it on to the insurer, smelled the biggest mistakes of their lives (as insurer was involved) and COVERED UP their wrongdoing by FALSELY reinstating me on “paper”. Just imagine what a judge would have to say after s/he sees my sacking letter, all the evidence (in writing such as emails + eye witnesses) leading up to the unlawful termination (I even was BRIBED by my employer via TXT message!!!), and then finding out that they secretly tried to cover up their extremely unlawful acting by ‘quickly reinstating” me behind my back (albeit in a new position)…???? Yeah… WTF!
WorkSafe is NOT to be trusted. Their biggest allies are there insurers, whose biggest allies are their employers/premium payers.
It does my head in that they even dared to ask your wife to complete their forms, whilst they had all the statements & evidence needed. Jesus hallelujah, they obviously have never heard of PTSD and re-traumatisation. Point is they don’t give a f*ck.
Keep strong and keep us posted on how things are going. Good luck with the case – should be a no-brainer for any decent judge.
X
We have noticed today that 6 of our followers have “unfollowed” our blog since posting the above article! Included is of course WorkSafe_Vic! Did we hit a raw nerve?
Perhaps WorkSafe_vic (and its allies) would be better off explaining to us (injured workers) how we got “it” wrong, instead of ‘banning’ our blog. It’s too easy to turn your back and pretend we do not exist / have no valid points here! Prove us wrong, WorkSafe and Co!
SHAME ON YOU, WORKSAFE_VIC! I will also make sure EVERYBODY knows what you claim versus what you do! Unfollowing a popular and great blog where injured workers are heard and able to voice their concerns and experiences SHOULD be closely followed by WOKRSAFE_VIC! What better place to offer your claimed “Advisory Services” and support to Victorian injured workers???? What better place to see what is going on and why so many injured workers feel DECEIVED by workcover and worksafe? What better place to LEARN to make things better for injured workers?
Go on, STICK you head in the sand – MAKE us, injured workers, GO AWAY by blocking our injured voices, ignore our pleas, BUT PLEASE THEN DO NOT FALSELY ADVOCATE FOR INJURED WORKERS!
Disappointed and shocked
Guess what WorkSafe Victoria, guess what WorkCover NSW? We’re not going away. Get ready to be held accountable, personally. No more corporate veil for you. We’re rising up!
Who else unfollowed? Also, who followed? One or more of those new followers could be secret WorkCover or insurer accounts.
WorkSafe has an obligation to repond to all public concerns such as the ones I raised about WorkSafe’s claims of confidentiality.
Come on WorkSafe, justify your claims of confidentiality. Your claim was false and you know it.
You can see who follows us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/WCVictimsdiary/followers
WorkSafe_Vic has still blocks our site and injured voices
Mr Gordon Rich Phillips (Minister) is decent enough to follow our blog and injured voices, as is Prime Minister Gillard. We thank you for that.
We are now using powerful tools to monitor our Twitter account (@WCVictimsdiary) 24/7 and will be able to instantly alert you who unfollowed or followed us. The unfollowers such as WorkSafe_Vic will be displayed on a wall of shame!
We’re most definitely upping the ante! We’ve had enough of being lied to, of being repeatedly deceived. given false promises and lured into believing that some organisations such as WorkSafe are there to protect us and LISTEN to our screams for help.!
@WorkSafe_Vic ought to be really red-hot-ashamed of themselves by blocking the voices and pleas of Victorian injured workers. It is absolutely outrageous.
Would be the same as if injured workers (or this blog) would “advertise”about safety at work” but then BLOCK sites such as Safe Work, which promote safety! Instead, we (injured workers) make a double effort to educate ourselves even better about all things safety – it is not because we’re injured that we turn our BACKSIDES against safety-promoting sites. This blog FOLLOWS all relevant safety sites!
We will keep you posted on further developments. Should WorkSafe_vic follow us again, we will certainly let the whole world know that they’re at least making an effort.
WorkSafe may well be able to run, but they can not hide. We have all the names and dates that this matter was reported to WorkSafe. They cannot be held legally responsible for what happened to my Wife at her old work place. BUT somebody else will suffer injuries as a result of same or similar conduct and WHEN not IF I find out I will do all in my power to assist that or those people, (as I am of the belief more than 1 person will be injured due to the work practices) then guess what WorkSafe is liable under Statutory law. They will not be able to say “We didn’t know” it was “Unforseen” they will have to answer to the Courts, the Vic Govt and the workers of Victoria. So it’s only a matter of time and very unfortunately for some people OTHER VICTIMS.
Just so we’re clear, I have also been so badly treated by both Worksafe and their inusrer carrier that even a couple of independent medical examiners (CHOSEN by workcover) have made detrimental comments in their assessment reports such as:
” there has clearly been a degree of harassment and bullying by the workcover authority and the claimant’s case manager…. significantly contributing to the claimant’s clinical depression, anxiety and PTSD…”
The IMEs were psychiatrists AND surgeons!
I have EVIDENCE in writing of the said harassment and bullying in the form of emails, recorded conversations and other.
Glad you are all speaking out loud and clear, THANK YOU.
Our “motto” or”mantra” remains unchanged and that is:
“INJURED ON THE JOB, DISABLED BY WORKCOVER“
I am very interested in hearing more of the bullying. It seems that there’s a pattern emerging here:
WorkSafe Vic and WorkCover NSW insurers are bullying injured workers into returning to work before they are actually medically fit. It also appears that these government agencies are condoning the bullying by virtue of the fact that they take no action when presented with evidence of the same. In effect, they have outsourced the bullying.
The individuals and companies behind this insurance racket need to be exposed.
I suspect that it’s the usual suspects (Allianz, Xchanging, QBE). We need evidence and to name names.
Everyone must be held to account, from CEO down to the scum case managers that ruin lives. Remember that medical professionals are answerable to medical boards — they can be placing their careers on the line!
WorkCover NSW and CGU (@CGUinsurance)are now following us – at least they have the decency to aknowledge our existance and to hear our seriously injured voices.
We are extremely grateful for the effort they are making. It may well be the beginning of a new era… wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could “work” together?
Whilst it may be wonderful if was “the beginning of a new era” I’m afraid it’s not going to be.
I hear bad stories from the inside. The organisation is in disarray and staff moral is at an all time low.
I also hear that anyone decent who has had the temerity to expose corruption and wrongdoing has been pushed aside or out of the organisation.
Also, these fast-tracked reforms talked about last week by the Minister are about making the insurers completely unaccountable to the WorkCover Authority of NSW. Injured workers in NSW had better watch out.
Ms Hunt was pushed out as she’s a Labor appointee. As for Mr McCarthy, well, he’s an old school boy who is way past his use by date.
Welcome to the Liberal party stripping the organisation bare. Let’s re-visit my reply here in a few months and see how correct I was.
I can’t supply any information to support what I’ve said but I can tell you it came from “a friend of a friend” high up in WorkCover NSW.
Hey, “None”
I am not surprised and believe the stories you have heard. It is my opinion that things will get a lot worse before they start getting ‘better’, if ever. It must be total chaos at present with leadership stepping/forced down. Also the way WorkSafe_Vic has been acting, following our criticism, does clearly show a culture of “covering-up” and “banning” all those who dare to peep about corruption, wrongdoing and poor service. Very depressing.
The fact that Worksafe_vic is hiding means that they feel threatened by this site, why else would they run for cover?
If they had nothing to hide, they would be offering free support to the injured workers frequenting this side and find a way to collaborate with a wokcovervictimsdiary.com