87Further matters to be considered in deciding whether to provide vocational rehabilitation

1. In deciding whether to provide vocational rehabilitation, the Corporation must have regard to—

2. whether the vocational rehabilitation is likely to achieve its purpose under the claimant's individual rehabilitation plan; and
3. whether the vocational rehabilitation is likely to be cost-effective, having regard to the likelihood that costs of entitlements under this Act will be reduced as a result of the provision of vocational rehabilitation; and
4. whether the vocational rehabilitation is appropriate in the circumstances.

5. The Corporation must provide the vocational rehabilitation for the minimum period necessary to achieve its purpose, but must not provide any vocational rehabilitation for longer than 3 years (which need not be consecutive).

6. Subsection (2) is subject to subsection (2B).

7. Despite subsection (2), the Corporation may, at its discretion, provide vocational rehabilitation for longer than 3 years if the Corporation considers that—

8. the vocational rehabilitation would be likely to achieve its purpose under the claimant’s individual rehabilitation plan; and
9. the vocational rehabilitation would be likely to be cost-effective, having regard to the likelihood that costs of entitlements under this Act will be reduced as a result of the provision of vocational rehabilitation; and
10. the vocational rehabilitation would be appropriate in the circumstances.

11. However, despite subsections (1)(b) and (2B)(b), the Corporation must not take into account as a factor against providing vocational rehabilitation that the claimant is, or may become, a person to whom clause 52 of Schedule 1 (relationship between weekly compensation and New Zealand superannuation) applies.

12. This section is subject to any regulations made under section 324.