From the occurrence of an occupational accident to returning to work, the process is time-consuming and often leads to a stalemate between labor and management. Based on COAPRE’s experience in controlling and evaluating the service plans of occupational rehabilitation institutions, occupational accident workers often encounter problems after acute medical treatment such as uncertainty about the process of applying for occupational accident benefits, the need for further rehabilitation, confusion about rehabilitation that affect recovery, and difficulty in communicating with employers. In light of this, the center’s Occupational Accident Workers Rehabilitation Service Division (Rehabilitation Division) collects information on the needs of domestic workers and relevant issues, consolidates government and private sector rehabilitation resources, and assists in performing on-site visits. This allows workers to receive professional early assessment and intervention after occupational accidents take place and help employers and employees reach an agreement on returning to work. As of late July, 1,174 workers are ready to return to work.

The Rehabilitation Division is mainly responsible for collecting information on the needs of domestic workers and relevant issues. Through phone calls, LINE@, and an app, it helps to address personal rights-related inquiries such as insurance benefits, medical treatment for occupational diseases, application procedures for leave, or litigation-related advice. It effectively integrates and utilizes various rehabilitation service resources, assisting approved occupational rehabilitation institutions in providing on-site guidance. This ensures that occupational accident workers continue to receive adequate services throughout the vocational rehabilitation process and helps them return to work. As of August 15, 66 on-site guidance and 234 consultation services have been conducted.

Additionally, according to statistics as of late July this year, the number of cases applying for reinforcement training for working capacity at occupational rehabilitation institutions was nearly 1,000. This also suggests that these occupational accident workers have gained access to professional and stable rehabilitation services after the implementation of the new law, allowing them to continue enhancing their working capacity after their injuries and return to work. This is another significant advancement following the implementation of the Labor Occupational Accident Insurance and Protection Act.

During the service process, the Rehabilitation Division has discovered that occupational accident workers encounter a wide range of difficulties at different stages of returning to work. According to assessments based on the needs of approved occupational rehabilitation institutions, common challenges encountered after the acute medical treatment phase of occupational accidents include the following: 1. Unclear procedures for applying for occupational injury and disease outpatient services and benefits, thereby affecting their access to occupational accident-related resources. 2. Uncertainties regarding the need for further rehabilitation and working capacity enhancement after acute medical care, thereby affecting the functional recovery timeline. 3. Difficulty in engaging in communication with employers regarding plans to return to work, often due to the overwhelming nature of the situation for the individual, who may be preoccupied with medical and family-related issues, or lacks a clear understanding of the respective responsibilities and obligations between workers and employers. The uncertainty may lead to a lack of specific communication goals or a reduced willingness to initiate communication with employers.

The investigation also revealed that in some cases, even if they have a certain level of working capacity to return to work, still fail or experience delays in the process due to reasons including: 1. Breakdown in the employment relationship: Mostly due to the lack of consensus on occupational accident compensation and job adjustment directions. 2. Impairment of workers' rights: Some employers seek to evade their responsibilities to assist workers in returning to work, resulting in the termination of employment shortly after the occupational accident. This type of situation often leads to drawn-out litigations. 3. The workers are unable to perform the original job and cannot find alternative employment due to their occupational accident diagnosis. This often occurs when the disability level is not severe enough to qualify for supported employment service resources.

Taking into account the above factors and aiming to continue offering better services, the Rehabilitation Division plans to establish a one-stop demonstration service station in 2024, which will integrate various professional services and application service contacts needed from the occurrence of an occupational accident stage to the return to work stage, including occupational accident recognition, application for occupational accident insurance benefits, legal consultation and assistance, occupational accident diagnosis and treatment, rehabilitation, and other services. Rehabilitation service technology and hardware facilities from developed countries are also expected to be introduced. This initiative aims to provide occupational accident workers with a place to rest, actively participate in rehabilitation, and return to work as soon as possible with the coordination of professionals, thereby allowing them to embrace a more positive future.