topic Re: Compensation For Ergonomic Chair Change in Community Spirit

Compensation For Ergonomic Chair Change

icyfroth — Tue, 17 Feb 2015 23:32:58 GMT

Australia's tax collection agency has been involved in a lengthy compensation battle after a staff member's desk and chair heights were changed without her knowing it.

The ergonomic stuff up happened even though the woman had a sign on her work station saying "do not adjust or sit at this desk".

The initial compensation paid and ensuing 18-month legal tussle demonstrates the potential liabilities of hot desking where multiple workers use the same work station at different times.

Hot desking is popular in private and public sector offices to cut down on leased office space.

The former Australian Taxation Office worker, now aged 56, experienced severe neck and shoulder pain one day in April 2011 and felt her desk and chair heights had been changed.

Her supervisors at first told her nobody else had used the work station. A day later her superiors apologised and said casual staff had used the work station and had made adjustments.

The woman said it took several weeks for an occupational health and safety representative to return the work station back to previous settings.

"The ergonomic adjustments were major," she wrote. "The chair height and back rest, the desk height, the distance of the monitor the height of the monitor."

The woman said cortisone injections were needed to manage her pain. The details of her case are outlined in an Administrative Appeals Tribunal decision.

It shows Comcare paid the woman compensation from 2011 to 2013 for aggravation of neck pain and the sprain of her shoulder and upper right arm.

In its decision the tribunal upheld a previous Comcare decision to refuse the woman ongoing compensation because she had a diagnosed degenerative disease which it said would have been causing her current pain.

The woman was first compensated for work-related neck and shoulder pain in 2005.

Following this she sat at a work station with important ergonomic settings suited to her and had the sign at her desk.

Following the 2011 desk drama, in June 2012, a physician said an invalidity retirement was an appropriate consideration for the woman.

"Her chronic pain disorder (and) chronic pain syndrome has led to a secondary depression which whilst perhaps under treated is not going to change her productivity and employability and is secondary to her chronic pain," the doctor wrote.

"Rehabilitation has been repeatedly unsuccessful. Sadly this situation is unlikely to change in the foreseeable future.

"It is my opinion that (she) is permanently and totally incapacitated for work."

http://www.theage.com.au/national/public-service/ergonomic-desk-change-leads-to-lengthy-public-service-compensation-case-20150217-13gqll.html

A genuine case or just rorting the system for a paid early retirement?

Re: Compensation For Ergonomic Chair Change

poddster — Tue, 17 Feb 2015 23:55:19 GMT

I wonder if it would be possible to get compensation for having to endure the chronic pain in the butt that some posters cause ? 🙂

Re: Compensation For Ergonomic Chair Change

lloydslights — Tue, 17 Feb 2015 23:56:38 GMT

The woman said it took several weeks for an occupational health and safety representative to return the work station back to previous settings.

Interesting. I know that when I got a new home-office desk last year, my upper arm/shoulder hurt and continues even now after adjusting things.

Was the ergonomic office situation a condition of her accepting employment originally? Is it a common OH&S Workplace practice these days?

DEB

Re: Compensation For Ergonomic Chair Change

kopenhagen5 — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 00:00:25 GMT

Poddster

Either way, sheesh.

No wonder less newer programs are being set up due to fear of litigation.

And really how much if it was only due to the adjustments.

I am very sceptical on that one.

Re: Compensation For Ergonomic Chair Change

the_hawk* — Tue, 17 Feb 2015 23:58:54 GMT

Its a situation that only someone with a permanent injury that suffers from constant pain can understand.

Re: Compensation For Ergonomic Chair Change

lloydslights — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 00:07:46 GMT

Similarly, Kopes, that more are not encouraged to work from home.

DEB

Re: Compensation For Ergonomic Chair Change

azureline** — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 00:18:04 GMT

@poddster wrote:
I wonder if it would be possible to get compensation for having to endure the chronic pain in the butt that some posters cause ? 🙂

no, it's not a job and no one is asking or forcing you to be here.

Re: Compensation For Ergonomic Chair Change

poddster — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 00:24:54 GMT

Is that an assumption Az?

I have heard it said by some that I must be on the right wing payroll and get paid by the number of pro right wing posts i generate 🙂

Re: Compensation For Ergonomic Chair Change

lloydslights — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 00:27:21 GMT

Wondering further on a Workplace situation.

What about a worker who attends a seminar, are the chairs ergonomically programmed for the participant at the venue?

DEB

Re: Compensation For Ergonomic Chair Change

serendipityricho — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 01:03:52 GMT

Icy-in your OP--pain one day in April 2011--was it the 1st April.........................Richo.

Re: Compensation For Ergonomic Chair Change

gleee58 — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 01:11:34 GMT

@icyfroth wrote:

Australia's tax collection agency has been involved in a lengthy compensation battle after a staff member's desk and chair heights were changed without her knowing it.

The ergonomic stuff up happened even though the woman had a sign on her work station saying "do not adjust or sit at this desk".

The initial compensation paid and ensuing 18-month legal tussle demonstrates the potential liabilities of hot desking where multiple workers use the same work station at different times.

..........................

A genuine case or just rorting the system for a paid early retirement?

I think only someone who has not endured chronic pain would think it's got to be a path to early paid retirement.

The reality is compensation claims and time off work cause enormous hardship and mostly cost every cent the person has and then some.

Degenerative disease is the name given to the ongoing deteriortation that occurs after an injury and is used to block further support, which leaves the person in poverty and pain, and often wondering if they are going insane. The pain is invisible and people suffering are just expected to look on the bright side and get over it. The "It can't be that bad, can it?" attitudes to chronic pain can cause people to feel worthless and depressed.

Most people would not put on such symptoms and live with such pain just to rort the system.

At the forums into poverty that are held from time to time one of the facts that shock many is the numbers of people who find themselves in poverty that never expected to do so. They were productive people who suffered an injury, at work or away, that left them with chronic pain and cost them a fortune. That really cost them everything. It truly is an eye opening experience.

Re: Compensation For Ergonomic Chair Change

gleee58 — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 01:14:01 GMT

@lloydslights wrote:
The woman said it took several weeks for an occupational health and safety representative to return the work station back to previous settings.

Interesting. I know that when I got a new home-office desk last year, my upper arm/shoulder hurt and continues even now after adjusting things.

Was the ergonomic office situation a condition of her accepting employment originally? Is it a common OH&S Workplace practice these days?

DEB

No, the ergonomics were introduced after she suffered a workplace injury.

The woman was first compensated for work-related neck and shoulder pain in 2005.

Following this she sat at a work station with important ergonomic settings suited to her and had the sign at her desk.

Re: Compensation For Ergonomic Chair Change

poddster — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 01:19:15 GMT

That's it.

No more seminars for me. I refuse ti take t risk of chronic aches and pains from sitting on unprogrammed seats, not to mention aural damage resulting from PA systems that are misaligned to such an extent that make your ears bleed.

Then there is the content of the seminars, where you are forced to listen to the meaningless drone of monotonous repetitive of jargon, buzz words and catch phrases that cause your intestines to climb into you cerebral cavity to strangle your brain.

Re: Compensation For Ergonomic Chair Change

lloydslights — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 01:54:59 GMT

@gleee58 wrote:
@lloydslights wrote:
The woman said it took several weeks for an occupational health and safety representative to return the work station back to previous settings.

Interesting. I know that when I got a new home-office desk last year, my upper arm/shoulder hurt and continues even now after adjusting things.

Was the ergonomic office situation a condition of her accepting employment originally? Is it a common OH&S Workplace practice these days?

DEB

No, the ergonomics were introduced after she suffered a workplace injury.

The woman was first compensated for work-related neck and shoulder pain in 2005.

Following this she sat at a work station with important ergonomic settings suited to her and had the sign at her desk.

Oops, missed that further down in the article, thanks.

However, it appears that for her to regain full time work (after 2005) she accepted with the Condition that her workstation be ergonimically set. And was agreed upon.

That particular Condition appears to have been compromised by the employer; and remained compromised for 5 weeks.

So legally, I suppose she is entitled to further compensation.

DEB

Re: Compensation For Ergonomic Chair Change

the_hawk* — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 04:04:40 GMT

@lloydslights wrote:
@gleee58 wrote:
@lloydslights wrote:
The woman said it took several weeks for an occupational health and safety representative to return the work station back to previous settings.

Interesting. I know that when I got a new home-office desk last year, my upper arm/shoulder hurt and continues even now after adjusting things.

Was the ergonomic office situation a condition of her accepting employment originally? Is it a common OH&S Workplace practice these days?

DEB

No, the ergonomics were introduced after she suffered a workplace injury.

The woman was first compensated for work-related neck and shoulder pain in 2005.

Following this she sat at a work station with important ergonomic settings suited to her and had the sign at her desk.

Oops, missed that further down in the article, thanks.

However, it appears that for her to regain full time work (after 2005) she accepted with the Condition that her workstation be ergonimically set. And was agreed upon.

That particular Condition appears to have been compromised by the employer; and remained compromised for 5 weeks.

So legally, I suppose she is entitled to further compensation.

DEB

OMG dont say that out loud, or plods will be forced to reply

Re: Compensation For Ergonomic Chair Change

lloydslights — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 04:08:55 GMT

***it was whispered***

Shooosh

DEB

Re: Compensation For Ergonomic Chair Change

icyfroth — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 04:20:55 GMT

@poddster wrote:
I wonder if it would be possible to get compensation for having to endure the chronic pain in the butt that some posters cause ? 🙂

The coveted five laughy-face award

Re: Compensation For Ergonomic Chair Change

icyfroth — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 04:22:37 GMT

@serendipityricho wrote:
Icy-in your OP--pain one day in April 2011--was it the 1st April.........................Richo.

Re: Compensation For Ergonomic Chair Change

j*oono — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 04:35:57 GMT

@icyfroth wrote:
@poddster wrote:
I wonder if it would be possible to get compensation for having to endure the chronic pain in the butt that some posters cause ? 🙂
The coveted five laughy-face award

Yes. We could call it podsteurization.