It's for anyone who needs workplace adjustments to work safely and comfortably, including people recovering from injury or surgery, living with a long-term condition or disability, experiencing recurring pain at work, or returning after medical leave. Employers, healthcare professionals and individuals can all arrange one.

A return to work assessment looks at what an employee can do after illness, injury or surgery, the demands of their job and how their workstation is set up. It recommends the workplace adjustments, equipment and pacing needed for them to return safely and stay in work. At KOS, it's carried out by an occupational therapist or ergonomist, on-site or virtually, and can include a graded return to work plan.

Common triggers include returning after long-term sick leave, an injury or surgery that affects how the person works, occupational health advising restrictions or a phased return, a change in a long-term condition, or a previous return to work that didn't hold. Ideally, book it before the return date so the adjustments are in place from day one.

No, they answer different questions and work well together. An occupational health assessment, carried out by an occupational health doctor or nurse, decides whether the employee is fit to return and what restrictions apply. Our return to work assessment looks at the workplace side: what needs to change in the job and workstation so they can return and stay in work. If you already have an occupational health report, share it with us and we'll build on its recommendations.

You don't always need one for the assessment itself, but a medical letter confirming the diagnosis or limitations is helpful, especially for long-term conditions. If you plan to apply for Work and Access funding, you'll need professional evidence of the condition, or to be getting a long-term disability payment.

Assessments can be carried out at the workplace or virtually. Wherever possible we come on-site, and virtual assessments are available for remote and hybrid workers.

From the initial consultation to report delivery, most assessments are completed within 7 to 10 working days.

Often, yes. The Department of Social Protection's Work and Access programme includes a Workplace Needs Assessment support of up to €2,500 to help employers pay for a specialist assessment, a Work Equipment grant of up to €12,000 for assistive equipment or technology, and a Workplace Adaptation grant of up to €25,000. Most Workplace Adaptation applications need a workplace needs assessment first. We'll help you identify the right support and give you the report you need for your application.

It can, if the employee and employer are eligible. The Workplace Needs Assessment support is for employees with a disability or long-term health condition expected to last more than 12 months, so a return to work linked to a long-term condition may qualify. Recovery from a short-term injury usually won't, but the assessment is still worth doing to support a safe return. Check the latest rules on Citizens Information before booking, and we'll help you work out whether funding applies.

Employees must be over 18 and under 70, not getting a State Pension, have the right to work in Ireland, and have a disability or health condition expected to last more than 12 months. They must work at least 8 hours a week (or be self-employed, on a work placement of at least 6 months, or have a job offer). Eligible employers include the private sector, community and voluntary sectors, not-for-profit organisations and the commercial semi-state sector. Public sector and voluntary work aren't covered. Always check the latest rules before applying.

Public sector employees aren't eligible for Work and Access funding, but a workplace needs assessment is still valuable. Public sector employers have the same duty to provide reasonable accommodation, and the assessment gives you a clear, documented plan of the adjustments needed. We also support public sector organisations.

Yes. Under Work and Access, final approval is required before you buy any equipment or make any adaptations, and applications made after purchase can't be processed or paid. That's one reason we offer a free equipment trial, so you can confirm the right items before you apply.

It helps you meet your duty to provide reasonable accommodation under the Employment Equality Acts and to keep risk assessments up to date under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, including when an employee returns after illness or injury. It also shows your commitment to employee wellbeing, helps reduce absenteeism and supports a safe, sustainable return to work.

We'll guide you through it. Usually we need a point of contact and access to the employee's workstation, or video access for virtual assessments.

In many cases, yes, but funding may cover some or all of the cost if the employee is eligible. You can try the recommended equipment for free at our Fitting Studio before you buy.

We can assess employees individually and provide group reporting if needed. Contact us for tailored support.

Each assessment includes a pre-assessment survey, an on-site or virtual evaluation by an occupational therapist ergonomics specialist, immediate workstation adjustments where possible, and a detailed report. Optional extras include a graded return to work plan, job task modification and coordination with allied health professionals or line managers.

Yes. Every assessment is fully compliant with the DSE Regulations 2007 and includes checks against the Schedule 4 minimum requirements. It's carried out by professionals with MSc-level qualifications, combining compliance with clinical-grade ergonomic insight.

A detailed DSE assessment focuses on the workstation needs of employees with medical conditions, chronic pain or pregnancy. A workplace needs or return to work assessment goes further, looking at the whole job, functional limitations and return to work planning, and is designed to support funding applications.

Trained in-house assessors can carry out standard DSE assessments, and KOS runs DSE / VDU assessor training courses for this. For complex return to work cases, disabilities or funding applications, a clinical assessment by an occupational therapist is the better choice.