Respect and trust are something we all require

Respect and trust are something we all require but to gain it we must first earn it, all the while knowing that once respect and trust is lost, no matter how we try or what we do, respect and trust will never return in its entirety.

This morning one of the placements came into see me, he asked me to scan some paperwork for him and send it to his email address.

All the time I was processing his request he was telling me of an issue that has been going on for him for the last several weeks.

An issue that has been around since before my own workers compensation claim(24yrs back), and an issue that given the technology that is now in place should no longer be possible.

The issue is that once more this participants income has been incorrectly handled and his income is short by a considerable amount.
This means for this person after paying the rent and buying a few groceries he will be left with the choice of which outstanding account does he pay, does he buy petrol does he buy the new winter jumper he needs (its winter time here in Australia).

He had made a phone call to the claims agent once again and once more has ended in yet another promise to “get it right” next week and to catch up the amount that has been underpaid.

What this means in reality is that for far too many people with workplace injuries they can never truly plan or forecast from week to week what they can commit to. They can never “save for a rainy day” or put funds aside to purchase new white goods or even a holiday because the “funds saved” are oft required just to get from one incorrect pay week to the next incorrect pay week.

With all the technology in place and with no alteration to the amount of income payment to be made I have to admit I struggle to understand just how income payments are messed up or even why “sorry” is the best we can expect.

At an industry meeting I attended earlier this year I had a chat with a person who works for a claims agent. His words were along the lines of “I don’t deserve to be yelled at just for doing my job, the callers don’t respect me so why should I respect them” I reminded the person that the reasons that people with a workplace injury call him is because he is their contact point, they have an issue and that prompts a call. 

Issues such as incorrect income payments tip the caller into anger and the required respect is not able to be present as all the negative emotions come into play for the person who is going to need to live on (in this instance two thirds of his normal income).

I acknowledge that there are some within the injured worker community who do not extend respect to the claims agents- they don’t even extend respect to those who work to support them; however, these people are (thankfully) few and far between. We have even had people with workplace injuries come here to Craig’s Table and tell us that we have no right to say we can help because we cannot unbreak them (the language was a lot harsher than that) so I do know how it feels to be on the receiving end of a tirade of anger and blame.

To my way of thinking though the issue of income payments should have been resolved a long time back.

To not ensure that the weekly income is paid on time and is correct is unforgivable; sorry really no longer suffices nor is it acceptable. 

Yours in service
Rosemary

www.craigstable.net.au
rosemary@craigstable.net.au
SKYPE Rosemary2412
1st June 2018