Learn what all those workers comp abbreviations mean, with the assistance of this glossary.
As a workers comp claim progresses, so too will the paperwork. If you're starting to see abbreviations pop up in your documents or conversations, refer to the list below to understand what they mean.
List of abbreviations (in alphabetical order)
L: LMA
M: MCC
N: NTD
O: OT
S: SD
T: TSA
V: Voc
ADL
Meaning: Activities of Daily Living
Tasks carried out in your daily life. Examples include eating, getting out of bed, getting dressed and showering.
This term is used to assess one's basic ability to care for themselves without assistance.
Ax
Meaning: Assessment
The act of assessing someone or something. Examples include functional assessment and workplace assessment (WPA).
See also:
COC
Meaning: Certificate of Capacity
A document describing your injury or illness, capacity for work, and any limitations you face in performing your pre-injury work tasks. Also known as a COF (Certificate of Fitness).
In NSW, this is a form available to download from SIRA's website. The COC is typically filled out by the doctor and signed by the patient.
COF
Meaning: Certificate of Fitness
See COC (Certificate of Capacity).
EM
Meaning: Email
EP
Meaning: Exercise Physiologist
A health professional who specialises in developing an exercise recovery plan for their client, based on the diagnosis and recommendations made by a physiotherapist or medical practitioner.
See also:
ER
Meaning: Employer
The business or company employing the injured worker.
IMC
Can mean: Injury Management Consultant
A GP with experience in occupational injury and workplace rehabilitation.
Can also mean: Independent Medical Consultation
Refers to the consultation held between the IMC (Injury Management Consultant) and the injured worker. Their assessments can influence decisions on the extent of the injury, the necessity of certain treatments, the choice of NTD (Nominated Treating Doctor), and the worker's capacity to return to work.
See also:
IME
Can mean: Independent Medical Examiner
A specialist doctor. Examples include a psychiatrist, an orthopaedic or a neurosurgeon.
Can also mean: Independent Medical Examination
A medical examination carried out by the specialist doctor to assess the client's injury, treatment and cost-related issues.
IP
Meaning: Injured Person
The injured individual for whom a claim has been lodged. Used particularly when the claim lodged is not for work-related injury or illness.
See also:
IR
Meaning: Insurer
The insurance company paying for the injured worker's workplace rehab treatment.
IW
Meaning: Injured Worker
The employee who has sustained injury or illness.
See also:
JCPP
Meaning: Job Cover Placement Program
A SIRA program which provides incentives to employers that employ an injured worker who is unable to return to work with their pre-injury employer.
See also:
JS
Meaning: Job Seeking
A term used to describe any worker seeking new employment.
See also:
JSS
Meaning: Job Seeking Session
Any session carried out in the process of vocational rehabilitation, with the purpose of helping the injured worker find a new employer.
LMA
Meaning: Labour Market Analysis
An analysis carried out in an injured worker's job seeking process to help them find suitable work with a new employer.
See also:
MCC
Meaning: Medical Case Conference
A type of meeting regularly organised throughout the workplace rehab process to help key stakeholders receive updates and align on goals and expectations.
NTD
Meaning: Nominated Treating Doctor
The doctor nominated by the injured worker. Often used interchangeably with doctor and GP, but should be used to refer only to the doctor involved in the workers comp claim.
OT
Meaning: Occupational Therapist
A health professional specialising in helping their client learn how to perform daily or work-related tasks better.
See also:
PIAWE
Meaning: Pre-injury Average Weekly Earnings
The weekly average of the gross earnings received by the injured worker, for work the worker was engaged in at the time of the injury.
Used by the insurer to calculate how much weekly compensation the injured worker is entitled to.
PID
Meaning: Pre-injury Duties
The job that the injured worker was employed for before they sustained their injury or illness.
See also:
RC
Meaning: Rehab Consultant
The health professional helping the injured worker with their workplace recovery. Examples include occupational therapist, physiotherapist, and exercise physiologist.
See also:
RTW
Meaning: Return to Work
A general term used to refer to the stage where an injured worker is to return to the workplace, following injury or illness.
The primary goal of all workplace rehab programs is to ensure the injured worker's safe and timely return to work.
All NSW employers are legally obligated to have a RTW program.
SD
Meaning: Suitable Duties
Also known as suitable work, this term refers to alternative duties that an injured worker can assume at their workplace, after taking into account their limitations and capacity for work.
TSA
Meaning: Transferable Skills Assessment
An assessment of the skills and knowledge the injured worker has, that would aid in helping them find work with a new employer.
See also:
Voc
Meaning: Vocational Assessment
A term that may refer either to the overall process of rehabilitating the worker back into employment, or any assessments carried out in the process.
See also:
WPA
Meaning: Workplace Assessment
One of many important steps in a workplace rehabilitation program, to identify potential barriers or hazards to an injured worker's safe return to the workplace.
WT
Meaning: Work Trial
A mutually beneficial scheme which incentivises employers to hire injured workers, and encourages an injured worker's gradual return to the workforce.
See also: