A certificate of capacity outlines a worker's injury or illness, work capacity, and required treatment.
Issued by a GP, a certificate of capacity (COC) is a key document in workers compensation cases. It outlines a worker's injury or illness, capacity for work, and the treatment required.
The information in the COC facilitates communication within the support team and relevant stakeholders. It also helps insurers assess compensation eligibility, and assists employers in finding suitable duties.
Download a copy of the COC here.
Who needs a certificate of capacity?
Any worker claiming weekly payments (money paid to them for time off work) or is unable to perform their pre-injury duties must have a COC.
A certificate of capacity should be renewed every 28 days.
What’s included in a certificate of capacity?
A COC includes detailed information such as:
- Worker's details, injury type, and date of injury
- Proposed treatment and management plan, including referrals and medications
- How the injury affects the worker's capacity to perform their usual work activities
- Details of the medical professional issuing the certificate
In addition, the COC contains the following key sections:
- Medical Certification: Includes a diagnosis, even if provisional, until further details are available.
- Management Plan: Specifies recommended treatment, referrals to specialists, expected duration of physical therapy, and medication details.
- Work Capacity: Outlines if the worker can perform full pre-injury duties, selected duties, alternative work, or no work. If the worker has no ability to work, an estimation of when some level of work capacity can be regained; otherwise the hours and days suitable to perform work should be specified.