Skip to content
CoAct
Ongoing Support (Work Assist): Support your staff to stay in work
Home Employers Ongoing Support (Work Assist) staff support

Ongoing Support (Work Assist): Support your staff to stay in work

Workplace solutions for eligible employees who have difficulty fulfilling their role due to injury, illness or disability.
Refer to Work Assist
Employer shakes hand of young woman in an open plan office
Refer to Work Assist
Register a job vacancy
Contact us

Ongoing Support (Work Assist) helps your employees stay in work

Delivered through Inclusive Employment Australia, Ongoing Support (Work Assist) is a government funded program - there’s no cost to you.

Ongoing Support (Work Assist) can help you fund employees to stay in work if they’re having difficulty performing due to their mental health, disability, illness or injury. This is a free service for employers with staff that are registered with an Inclusive Employment Australia provider.

Supporting your business and workforce

We know how hard it is to find a good employee, and the time and cost you put into recruiting and onboarding.

Here’s what we’ll do so you can help your employees stay at work or return to work, and
you don’t lose valuable talent.

  • Advise on job redesign, development and planning
  • Carry out a comprehensive workplace assessment
  • Recommend specialised equipment and workplace modifications
  • Support to access funded health support your employees are eligible for, e.g. physiotherapy, occupational therapy, pain management and counselling.

Not sure if your employee is eligible for this program? Contact our team.

Refer to Work Assist

Support your staff through Ongoing Suport (Work Assist)

Workplace assessment

Our qualified team will conduct a workplace assessment to see how your staff member is performing in their job, what barriers to employment they are currently experiencing and what supports they may need to continue working.

Advice about job redesign

We can advise you and your employee on appropriate job redesign so they can keep working. This process may include analysing and customising elements of a role such as hours of work, location of work, duties and responsibilities, work expectations and key performance indicators.

Workplace modifications or special equipment

We can recommend appropriate tools, equipment or technological aids to ensure your staff member can keep working. Our team can also advise on eligibility for funding for workplace modifications or specialised equipment from the government’s Employment Assistance Fund.

Allied health interventions

We can help your staff access allied health and specialist interventions such as physiotherapy, occcupational therapy, pain management and counselling sessions.

Team learning sessions

Where appropriate, we can run team learning sessions for management and team mates to help build an encouraging and understanding work environment.

Ongoing support

We offer continuous, specialised employment support for as long as your employee needs, with a minimum commitment of 12 months.
Woman in her 30s in the garden, wearing glasses

How does the Ongoing Support (Work Assist) program operate?

Our experienced Ongoing Support (Work Assist) team will initiate the process by meeting with you and your employee to identify barriers hindering your staff’s job performance and job retention.

We offer advice and assistance to both you and your employee, providing strategies to overcome existing barriers to keep them in work.

Supports we offer 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
  • Training sessions and resources for your team
  • Connections to interventions such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy, pain management or psychological counseling.

Refer to Ongoing Support (Work Assist) or contact our team for more information.

Benefits to employers

There are a range of benefits associated with the Work Assist program.

The benefits to employers include:

  • retaining skilled and experienced staff
  • securing and maintaining business productivity
  • increased employee loyalty
  • creating a disability-friendly workplace
  • supporting diversity and inclusion in the workplace
  • positive public image
  • legal and ethical compliance.
Woman job seeker, looking out the window while travelling on a bus

Who is eligible for Ongoing Support (Work Assist)?

Your staff may be eligible for Ongoing Support (Work Assist) if they:
  • have a verified disability, illness or health condition, this includes mental health conditions and need assistance to stay in your job
  • be assessed by us as needing Ongoing Support (Work Assist) to keep your job
  • be currently working and have been with your current employer for a consecutive period of at least 12 weeks, or there is an expectation that the job will last for at least 12 weeks
  • have an assessed work capacity of less than 30 hours each week.
Check eligibility

Make a referral to Ongoing Support (Work Assist)

Step 1 Permission
Speak with your employee and obtain their permission to refer them to CoAct Connect services.
Step 2 Refer
Complete the referral form or call 1800 226 228 to chat with our referral team.
Make a referral
Step 3 Contact
Our team will contact your employee to discuss the support they need and confirm their eligibility.
Step 4 Support
CoAct Connect will support your employees to maintain their employment.

Real stories

Everybody has a story. Read how we support our job seekers on their unique journey to employment.
View all

Employer news and resources

The latest news from CoAct Connect and our service partners, plus employer resources.
View all

Refer to Coact Connect

Referring to CoAct Connect is easy. Refer an individual to us (with their consent) or call and chat to us about the best approach to help their situation.