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Key Workers’ Compensation Information, Australia

2010

Key Workers’ Compensation

Information, Australia 2010

Visit www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au for more information

© Commonwealth of Australia 2010

ISBN 978 0 642 32961 5 (online)ISBN 978 0 642 32960 8 (print)This work is copyright. You may download, display, print and reproduce this material for your personal, non-commercial use or use within your organisation, provided that an appropriate acknowledgement is made (retaining this notice), and the material is not altered or subjected to derogatory treatment. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, all other rights are reserved. Requests and inquiriesconcerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to:Commonwealth Copyright AdministrationAttorney-General’s Department3-5 National CircuitBarton ACT 2600Email: [email protected]: www.ag.gov.au

DisclaimerThe information provided in this document can only assist you in the most general way. This document does not replace any statutory requirements under any relevant State and Territory legislation. Safe Work Australia is not liable for any loss resulting from any action taken or reliance made by you on the information or material contained on this document. Before relying on the material, users should carefully make their own assessment as to its accuracy, currency, completeness and relevance for their purposes, and should obtain any appropriate professional advice relevant to their particular circumstances.To the extent that the material on this document includes views or recommendations of third parties, such views or recommendations do not necessarily reflect the views of Safe Work Australia or indicate its commitment to a particular course of action.

Note this information is accurate as of February 2010

Key Workers’ Compensation Information 2010 … 3

Background• Australian workers’ compensation systems were originally based

on nineteenth century British law. Before the implementation of modern workers’ compensation arrangements, an injured worker’s only means of receiving compensation was to sue their employer for negligence at common law.

• The basic principle behind workers’ compensation is that as it is employers that profit from the labour of others, they should bear the full cost of that labour, including costs associated with work-related injury. Injury in this sense includes the full range of physical injuries, ailments, illnesses, aggravation or acceleration of pre-existing injuries.

• All Australian jurisdictions have workers’ compensation laws which are ‘no fault’. That is to be eligible, workers only have to prove that their injuries were work-related - they do not need to prove negligence on the part of an employer.

• There are ten major workers’ compensation systems in Australia. The six Australian States and two Territories have developed their own workers’ compensation laws and the Commonwealth has two schemes: the first is for Australian Government employees and the employees of licensed authorities, and the second for certain seafarers.

What is workers’ compensation?• It is a compulsory levy imposed by government on employers to

fund their potential liabilities associated with injured workers.

• It provides income replacement and coverage of medical cost to eligible workers.

• It currently covers about 90 per cent of the workforce (~ 9.7 million workers).

• The schemes do not cover the self employed, sole traders and independent contractors (about 1.2 million people) who need to take out personal injury insurance through private sector insurance.

4 ... Safe Work Australia

What is an injured worker entitled to?• Income replacement while they are recovering from their injury.

This is the most expensive part of compensation, accounting for more than half of scheme costs.

• Medical treatment is usually reimbursed. This includes medical, ambulance and other related medical costs, household help, aids and appliances, etc.

• Return to work plans, involving work-related rehabilitation, modification of workplaces and work duties usually involve a third party such as occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and sometimes vocational retraining programs.

• Death benefits including special provisions for children and funeral costs.

• Lump sum compensation for permanent impairment including loss of limb, loss of function (eyes and ears), loss of body function such as walking, loss of amenity of life, disfigurement, reduction in life expectancy and pain and suffering.

Who is eligible?• Australia’s schemes are no fault schemes - that is an injured

worker does not need to prove negligence on the part of the employer.

• There are three preconditions to receiving compensation which are:

- the worker is an employee as defined in the law of their jurisdiction

- the worker has a medical condition that was diagnosed by a qualified practitioner who stated that the condition arose out of or in the course of employment, and

- they have suffered a financial loss (such as loss of income or have incurred medical costs).

• Workers’ compensation is not given for general ‘harm’, such as hurt feelings or emotional distress or as the result of discrimination.


What does it cost?• In 2007–08, there were 131 110 serious workers’ compensation

claims involving one or more week of time lost from work, a permanent incapacity or fatality. This equates to 13.5 claims for serious injury for every 1000 employees.

• In 2007–08, the total amount paid by workers’ compensation schemes was A$6.3 billion. This consisted of:

- $3.38 billion of direct payments (incapacity, permanent impairment and common law) (53.7%)

- $1.42 billion in medical and other services, including rehabilitation (22.5%)

- $1.18 billion of insurance operations costs (18.8%), and

- $316 million of other administrative costs (5.0%)

• Premiums are usually expressed as a percentage of the employer’s payroll. The average Australian premium in 2007–08 was 1.67% of payroll but for an individual employer, premiums can be as high as 12% for certain high risk trades (e.g. logging) or lower than 0.2% for low risk work (e.g. clerical work).

• Self-insurance allows employers to manage their own workers’ compensation liabilities, provided that they can prove they are capable of doing so, by having effective management systems and are financially viable.

Note: figures quoted are based on data from the 11th edition of the Comparative Performance Monitoring report.


Age

ncie

s re

spon

sibl

e fo

r wor

kers

’ com

pens

atio

n fu

nctio

nsIn

the

Com

mon

wea

lth a

nd s

ome

stat

es a

nd te

rrito

ries

diffe

rent

aut

horit

ies

are

resp

onsi

ble

for d

iffer

ent

aspe

cts

of th

e w

orke

r’s c

ompe

nsat

ion

proc

ess.

Tabl

e 1

Res

pons

ible

Age

ncie

s

Juris

dict

ion

Polic

y––

––––

––––

––––

––R

egul

ator

Prem

ium

Cla

ims

Dis

pute

s

NSW

Wor

kCov

er N

SW

W

orkC

over

NS

W

7 pr

ivat

e se

ctor

ag

ents

con

tract

ed to

W

orkC

over

NS

W

& s

elf i

nsur

ers

Wor

kers

C

ompe

nsat

ion

Com

mis

sion

VIC

Vi

ctor

ian

Wor

kCov

er

Aut

horit

y (W

orkS

afe

Vict

oria

)

Vict

oria

n W

orkC

over

A

utho

rity

6 pr

ivat

e se

ctor

age

nts

cont

ract

ed to

the

VW

A &

sel

f ins

urer

s

VW

A, A

ccid

ent

Com

pens

atio

n C

onci

liatio

n S

ervi

ce

(AC

CS

), M

agis

trate

s’

or C

ount

y C

ourt

QLD

Dep

t. of

Jus

tice

and

Atto

rney

-Gen

eral

––––

––––

––––

––––

–Q

-Com

p

Wor

kCov

er

Que

ensl

and

Wor

kCov

er

Que

ensl

and

&

sel

f ins

urer

s

Q-C

OM

P, In

dust

rial

Mag

istra

te,

Indu

stria

l Rel

atio

ns

Com

mis

sion

, Ind

ustri

al

Cou

rt

WA

Wor

kCov

er W

A

for b

oth

Insu

rers

sub

ject

to

Wor

kCov

er W

A ov

ersi

ght

8 pr

ivat

e se

ctor

in

sure

rs &

sel

f in

sure

rs

Dis

pute

Res

olut

ion

Dire

ctor

ate,

C

omm

issi

oner

, Dis

trict

C

ourt


SAW

orkC

over

SA

Wor

kCov

er S

A1

priv

ate

sect

or a

gent

&

sel

f ins

urer

s

Wor

kers

C

ompe

nsat

ion

Trib

unal

TAS

Dep

t. of

Jus

tice

––––

––––

––––

––––

–W

orkC

over

Tas

man

ia

Lice

nsed

priv

ate

sect

or in

sure

rs,

subj

ect t

o W

orkC

over

Ta

s ov

ersi

ght.

8 pr

ivat

e se

ctor

in

sure

rs &

sel

f in

sure

rs

Wor

kers

Reh

abili

tatio

n an

d C

ompe

nsat

ion

Trib

unal

, Sup

rem

e C

ourt

NT

Dep

t. of

Jus

tice

––––

––––

––––

––––

–N

T W

orkS

afe

Priv

ate

sect

or a

gent

s (li

cens

ed in

sure

rs)

5 pr

ivat

e se

ctor

in

sure

rs &

sel

f in

sure

rs

NT

Wor

kSaf

e (m

edia

tion)

, Wor

k H

ealth

Cou

rt

AC

T

Chi

ef M

inis

ter’s

Offi

ce

- Offi

ce o

f Ind

ustri

al

Rel

atio

ns––

––––

––––

––––

–––

AC

T W

orkC

over

Priv

ate

sect

or a

gent

s (li

cens

ed in

sure

rs)

7 ap

prov

ed in

sure

rs &

se

lf in

sure

rs

Con

cilia

tion,

A

rbitr

atio

n,

Mag

istra

tes

Cou

rt

Cw

ealth

Dep

t. of

Edu

catio

n,

Em

ploy

men

t &

Wor

kpla

ce R

elat

ions

––––

––––

––––

––––

–C

omca

re

Com

care

Com

care

& s

elf-

insu

rers

Insu

rers

(Sea

care

)

Com

care

, AAT

, Fe

dera

l Cou

rt


Legi

slat

ion

Eac

h ju

risdi

ctio

n ha

s its

ow

n le

gisl

atio

n co

verin

g w

orke

rs’ c

ompe

nsat

ion.

Tabl

e 2

Wor

kers

’ Com

pens

atio

n Le

gisl

atio

n in

Aus

tralia

Juris

dict

ion

Legi

slat

ion

NSW

Wor

kpla

ce In

jury

Man

agem

ent a

nd W

orke

rs C

ompe

nsat

ion

Act

199

8 an

d W

orke

rs

Com

pens

atio

n A

ct 1

987

VIC

Acc

iden

t Com

pens

atio

n A

ct 1

985

and

Acc

iden

t Com

pens

atio

n (W

orkC

over

Insu

ranc

e) A

ct 1

993

QLD

Wor

kers

’ Com

pens

atio

n an

d R

ehab

ilita

tion

Act

200

3

WA

Wor

kers

’ Com

pens

atio

n an

d In

jury

Man

agem

ent A

ct 1

981

SAW

orke

rs R

ehab

ilita

tion

and

Com

pens

atio

n A

ct 1

986

and

Wor

kCov

er C

orpo

ratio

n A

ct 1

994

TAS

Wor

kers

Reh

abili

tatio

n an

d C

ompe

nsat

ion

Act

198

8

NT

Wor

kers

Reh

abili

tatio

n an

d C

ompe

nsat

ion

Act

200

8

AC

TW

orke

rs C

ompe

nsat

ion

Act

195

1

Cw

ealth

Saf

ety,

Reh

abili

tatio

n an

d C

ompe

nsat

ion

Act

198

8 S

eafa

rers

Reh

abili

tatio

n an

d C

ompe

nsat

ion

Act

199

2


Stat

istic

sTh

e ta

ble

belo

w li

sts

impo

rtant

sta

tistic

al d

ata

for t

he ju

risdi

ctio

ns.

Tabl

e 3

– A

ustra

lian

Wor

kers

’ Com

pens

atio

n S

tatis

tics

2007

–08

Juris

dict

ion

Empl

oyee

s C

over

edSe

rious

In

jurie

sIn

cide

nce

Rat

e *

Freq

uenc

y ra

te**

Dur

able

R

TW R

ate

Dis

pute

R

ate

Com

pens

ated

Fata

litie

sSt

anda

rdis

ed

Aver

age

Prem

ium

R

ate

NSW

3 02

2 66

042

730

14.1

8.3

76%

6.6%

421.

88%

VIC

2

407

460

24 6

30

10.2

6.2

75%

15.1

%44

1.44

%

QLD

1 78

2 36

032

480

18.2

10.9

75%

3.1%

791.

09%

WA

1 01

1 71

0 13

020

12.9

7.4

n/a

3.7%

211.

27%

SA70

3 98

096

3013

.78.

364

%13

.6%

82.

84%

TAS

207

280

3330

16.1

10.1

79%

7.2%

71.

49%

NT

106

810

1420

13.3

7.4

68%

6.3%

101.

81%

AC

T11

7 75

013

7012

.07.

6n/

an/

a0

2.23

%

Com

care

381

820

2420

5.9

3.3

84%

12.3

%21

1.15

%

Seac

are

4020

9022

.44.

382

%16

.2%

04.

71%

Aus

tral

ia9

745

850

131

110

13.5

8.0

75%

7.2%

232

1.59

%

*Inc

iden

ce ra

te o

f ser

ious

inju

ries

(cla

ims

per 1

000

empl

oyee

s, p

roje

cted

200

7–08

)**

Freq

uenc

y ra

te o

f ser

ious

inju

ries

(cla

ims

per m

illio

n ho

urs

wor

ked,

200

7–08

)


Wor

k-re

late

d In

jury

Eac

h ju

risdi

ctio

n ha

s sl

ight

ly d

iffer

ent d

efini

tions

of a

n in

jury

and

deg

ree

to w

hich

em

ploy

men

t con

tribu

tes

to

the

inju

ry fo

r a c

laim

to b

e ac

cept

ed.

Tabl

e 4

Inju

ry a

nd c

ontri

butio

n of

em

ploy

men

t

Juris

dict

ion

Defi

nitio

n of

‘inj

ury’

for p

urpo

ses

of

cove

rage

Empl

oym

ent c

ontr

ibut

ion

NSW

‘… p

erso

nal i

njur

y ar

isin

g ou

t of o

r in

the

cour

se o

f em

ploy

men

t …’

A su

bsta

ntia

l con

tribu

ting

fact

or

VIC

‘… a

n in

jury

aris

ing

out o

f, or

in th

e co

urse

of

, any

em

ploy

men

t..’

A si

gnifi

cant

con

tribu

ting

fact

or fo

r hea

rt at

tack

or

stro

ke, d

isea

se, o

r a re

curr

ence

, agg

rava

tion,

ac

cele

ratio

n, e

xace

rbat

ion

or d

eter

iora

tion

of a

ny

pre-

exis

ting

inju

ry o

r dis

ease

.

QLD

‘… a

per

sona

l inj

ury

aris

ing

out o

f, or

in th

e co

urse

of,

empl

oym

ent …

’ S

igni

fican

t con

tribu

ting

fact

or

WA

‘… a

per

sona

l inj

ury

by a

ccid

ent a

risin

g ou

t of

or i

n th

e co

urse

of t

he e

mpl

oym

ent …

’ To

a s

igni

fican

t deg

ree

(for d

isea

ses

only

)


SA

‘… a

dis

abili

ty is

com

pens

ible

if it

aris

es

from

em

ploy

men

t.’

‘... n

ot c

ompe

nsab

le u

nles

s it

is e

stab

lishe

d on

th

e ba

lanc

e of

pro

babi

litie

s th

at it

aris

es fr

om

empl

oym

ent.’

Sub

stan

tial c

ause

(for

psy

chia

tric

disa

bilit

ies

only

)

TAS

‘An

inju

ry, o

r a d

isea

se, a

risin

g ou

t of,

or in

th

e co

urse

of e

mpl

oym

ent’

The

‘maj

or o

r mos

t sig

nific

ant f

acto

r’ (fo

r di

seas

es o

nly)

NT

‘… a

phy

sica

l or m

enta

l inj

ury

… o

ut o

f or

in th

e co

urse

of e

mpl

oym

ent …

’To

a m

ater

ial d

egre

e (fo

r dis

ease

s an

d gr

adua

l pr

oces

s)

AC

T

‘a p

hysi

cal o

r men

tal i

njur

y…in

clud

es

aggr

avat

ion,

acc

eler

atio

n or

recu

rren

ce o

f a

pre-

exis

ting

inju

ry…

aris

ing

out o

f, or

in

the

cour

se o

f, th

e w

orke

r’s e

mpl

oym

ent’

A su

bsta

ntia

l con

tribu

ting

fact

or

Cw

ealth

‘… a

phy

sica

l or

men

tal i

njur

y ar

isin

g ou

t of

, or i

n th

e co

urse

of,

the

empl

oyee

’s

empl

oym

ent …

’ or

‘... a

n ag

grav

atio

n of

a p

hysi

cal o

r men

tal

inju

ry (o

ther

than

a d

isea

se) .

..’

Com

care

: To

a si

gnifi

cant

deg

ree

(for d

isea

ses)

Seac

are:

To

a m

ater

ial d

egre

e (fo

r dis

ease

)


Journey claims Entitlements for journey claims vary across the various workers’ compensation schemes.

Table 5 Coverage of journey claims

Jurisdiction Journey to & from work Journey undertaken for work purposes

NSW Yes (some restrictions) Yes

VIC No (covered under separate statutory no-fault transport accident scheme)

Yes (some restrictions)

QLD Yes (some restrictions) Yes

WA No Yes

SA Generally no. Only in very limited circumstances - most not covered

Yes

TAS No (some exceptions) Yes

NT Yes (some exceptions) Yes

ACT Yes Yes

Cwealth

Comcare: No Seacare: Yes

Comcare: YesSeacare: Yes


Main benefitsImportant notes:• The level and degree of entitlements in the accompanying tables

are stated for illustrative purposes. These will not automatically apply to every injured employee and similarly not every injured employee will have their entitlement limited to one component.

• Amounts of compensation, other than for lump-sum payment to dependants in the case of work-related death or permanent impairment, will be based on the degree of financial loss a worker suffers as result of a work-related injury.

• The amount of financial loss, including lost income, is determined differently in each jurisdiction.

Incapacity benefits • Each scheme provides (within limits) a period of near-full income

replacement of pre-injury earnings for workers who cannot return to work following their work-related injury.

• Incapacity benefits, also known as weekly payments, are ‘stepped down’ after a period of time, by a percentage or to a set amount, for workers who cannot earn an income because of their work-related injury.

• The range of incapacity benefits and step downs across the jurisdictions are shown in Table 6. In almost all arrangements, detailed provisions are made to further reduce the benefit based on an injured person’s capacity to earn.


Tabl

e 6

Inca

paci

ty p

aym

ents

as

at 3

0 Ju

ne 2

009

Para

met

er10

0%

wag

e re

plac

e-m

ent (

wks

)

Fina

l ste

p-do

wn

(Afte

r w

eek

. . .)

Min

imum

am

ount

Varia

tion

Empl

oyer

Ex

cess

Fina

ncia

l Li

mit

Tim

e lim

itA

ge li

mit

NSW

2626

$309

.50

Incr

ease

s fo

r de

pend

ent

spou

se a

nd/o

r ch

ildre

n

One

wee

k’s

wee

kly

paym

ent

$165

4.40

per

w

eek

-R

etire

men

t age

+

12 m

onth

s

VIC

13 (9

5%

repl

ace-

men

t)

1375

%Le

ss c

apac

ity

to e

arn

Firs

t 10

days

, firs

t $5

64 m

edic

al

cost

s

$125

0 pe

r w

eek

2.5

year

s65

unl

ess

low

er

indu

stry

retir

emen

t ag

e. I

f inj

ured

w

ithin

130

wee

ks

of r

etire

men

t, m

ax. 1

30 w

eeks

QLD

2610

4G

reat

er o

f 75

% N

WE

or

70%

Q

OTE

#

-U

p to

firs

t $7

40 w

eekl

y pa

ymen

t

$244

710

5 ye

ars

-

WA

1313

85%

Sub

ject

to

awar

d ra

tes

noLi

mit

on

wee

kly

paym

ents

of

2.0

x

AB

S A

WE

($

1904

.40)

. S

tatu

tory

max

$1

68 4

99

-65

unl

ess

wor

ker

is o

ver 6

4 at

tim

e of

inju

ry, t

hen

max

1

year


SA13

2680

%Le

ss c

apac

ity

or d

eem

ed

capa

city

to

earn

Firs

t 14

days

of

inca

paci

ty

paym

ent

$233

5.60

per

w

eek

2.5

year

s65

unl

ess

low

er

indu

stry

retir

emen

t ag

e. I

f inj

ured

w

ithin

2 y

ears

of

retir

emen

t the

n m

ax 2

yea

rs.

TAS

1378

80%

Less

cap

acity

to

ear

nFi

rst w

eekl

y pa

ymen

t, fir

st $

200

of o

ther

be

nefit

s

-9

year

s65

unl

ess

wor

ker

is o

ver 6

4 a

t tim

e of

inju

ry, t

hen

max

1

year

NT

2626

75%

(or

150%

of

AWE

in

the

NT,

w

hich

ever

is

less

er)

Mor

e fo

r de

pend

ants

, le

ss c

apac

ity

to e

arn

Firs

t day

-2

year

s65

unl

ess

wor

ker

is o

ver 6

4.5

at

time

of in

jury

, the

n m

ax 6

mon

ths

AC

T26

2665

% o

f pr

e-in

jury

ea

rnin

gs

or s

tatu

tory

flo

or

($54

3.78

) w

hich

ever

is

mor

e

Mor

e fo

r de

pend

ants

, le

ss c

apac

ity

to e

arn

No

--

65 u

nles

s w

orke

r is

ove

r 63

year

s at

tim

e of

inju

ry, t

hen

max

2 y

ears

Cw

ealth

4545

Less

er o

f 75

% o

r st

atut

ory

amou

nt

($39

3.79

)

Mor

e fo

r de

pend

ants

, le

ss c

apac

ity

to e

arn

No

150%

of

AWO

TEFA

*-

65 u

nles

s w

orke

r is

ove

r 63

year

s at

tim

e of

inju

ry, i

n w

hich

cas

e m

ax

2 ye

ars

# If

the

wor

k-re

late

d im

pairm

ent i

s ov

er 1

5% *

Ave

rage

Wee

kly

Ord

inar

y Ti

me

Ear

ning

s of

Ful

l-tim

e A

dults

.


The medical treatment benefitsThe table below shows the maximum amounts that a person can be compensated for the reasonable costs of medical treatment following a work-related injury.

Table 7 Maximum amounts for medical treatment as at 30 June 2009Jurisdiction $ limit Other

NSW No limit Medical expenditure above $50 000 requires regulator approval

VIC No limit Ceases 52 weeks after weekly payment entitlement ceases, or after 52 weeks if compensation is payable only for medical and like services

QLD No limit -WA $50 550 Additional $50 000 where the

worker’s social and financial circumstances justify it. An additional $250 000 beyond the $50 000 may be ordered by an arbitrator under certain circumstances

SA No limit -TAS No limit Entitlements cease 10 years

after the date the claim was lodged

NT No limit -ACT No limit Total amount must not be

more than the maximum amount (agreed between employer and worker) or $617.63 for each treatment

Cwealth No limit -


Perm

anen

t im

pairm

ent e

ntitl

emen

ts

Som

e w

ork-

rela

ted

inju

ries

resu

lt in

med

ical

con

ditio

ns th

at w

ill n

ever

reso

lve,

suc

h as

loss

of a

lim

b or

ch

roni

c co

nditi

ons.

Jur

isdi

ctio

ns p

rovi

de lu

mp

sum

pay

men

ts fo

r per

man

ent i

mpa

irmen

t whe

re th

e de

gree

of

impa

irmen

t is

abov

e a

thre

shol

d pe

rcen

tage

. The

re m

ay b

e ad

ditio

nal a

mou

nts

paya

ble

for o

ther

loss

, suc

h as

pai

n an

d su

fferin

g, o

r cap

s on

the

amou

nts

that

cou

ld b

e ob

tain

ed th

roug

h th

e co

urts

.

Tabl

e 8

Per

man

ent i

mpa

irmen

t thr

esho

lds

and

entit

lem

ents

as

at 3

0 Ju

ne 2

009

Juris

dict

ion

% o

f im

pairm

ent

Lum

p Su

mA

dditi

onal

NSW

Phy

sica

l inj

ury

1%H

earin

g lo

ss 6

% b

inau

ral

Prim

ary

psyc

holo

gica

l inj

ury

15%

$231

000

Max

imum

am

ount

of

$50

000

for p

ain

and

suffe

ring

VIC

10%

exc

ept f

or p

sych

iatri

c im

pairm

ents

and

ad

ditio

nal 1

0% fo

r fur

ther

hea

ring

loss

exc

ept

for t

otal

loss

es c

ompe

nsat

ed u

nder

diff

eren

t ta

ble

5% fo

r som

e m

uscu

losk

elet

al in

jurie

s w

ith a

da

te o

f inj

ury

on o

r afte

r 2 D

ecem

ber 2

003

30%

for p

sych

iatri

c im

pairm

ent n

ot s

econ

dary

to

phy

sica

l inj

ury

$396

690

$484

830

(les

s an

y st

atut

ory

impa

irmen

t ben

efit p

aid)

QLD

1% Hea

ring

loss

5%

$2

44 7

10$2

44 7

10


Juris

dict

ion

% o

f im

pairm

ent

Lum

p Su

mA

dditi

onal

WA

1% Hea

ring

loss

initi

al 1

0% a

nd s

ubse

quen

t los

s 5%

$168

499

-

SAN

one

exce

pt

hear

ing

loss

5%

$420

558

$91

800

TAS

5% W

PI

>0%

fing

ers

and

toes

10%

psy

chia

tric

impa

irmen

t5%

Hea

ring

loss

$223

824

-

NT

5%$2

31 2

54.4

0-

AC

T1% 6%

hea

ring

$123

525

si

ngle

loss

$185

288

m

ultip

le lo

ss

-

Cw

ealth

10%

WP

I; 5%

hea

ring;

>0%

fing

ers,

toes

, ta

ste,

sm

ell

$150

396

$56

399

Tabl

e 8

Per

man

ent i

mpa

irmen

t thr

esho

lds

and

entit

lem

ents

as

at 3

0 Ju

ne 2

009

cont

inue

d


Juris

dict

ion

% o

f im

pairm

ent

Lum

p Su

mA

dditi

onal

WA

1% Hea

ring

loss

initi

al 1

0% a

nd s

ubse

quen

t los

s 5%

$168

499

-

SAN

one

exce

pt

hear

ing

loss

5%

$420

558

$91

800

TAS

5% W

PI

>0%

fing

ers

and

toes

10%

psy

chia

tric

impa

irmen

t5%

Hea

ring

loss

$223

824

-

NT

5%$2

31 2

54.4

0-

AC

T1% 6%

hea

ring

$123

525

si

ngle

loss

$185

288

m

ultip

le lo

ss

-

Cw

ealth

10%

WP

I; 5%

hea

ring;

>0%

fing

ers,

toes

, ta

ste,

sm

ell

$150

396

$56

399

Dea

th b

enefi

tsE

ach

juris

dict

ion

has

a be

nefit

stru

ctur

e in

pla

ce th

at p

rovi

des

for l

ump

sum

pay

men

ts, f

uner

al c

osts

an

d w

eekl

y pa

ymen

ts fo

r dep

enda

nts.

Som

e ju

risdi

ctio

ns p

rovi

de a

dditi

onal

pay

men

ts fo

r spo

uses

and

co

unse

lling

.

Tabl

e 9

Dea

th b

enefi

ts a

s at

30

June

200

9D

eath

ben

efits

Lum

p su

mW

eekl

y pa

ymen

ts /

child

Fune

ral

Oth

erN

SW$4

33 6

50

$110

.20

$900

0 VI

C $

265

590

95%

(firs

t 13

wee

ks) o

f pre

-in

jury

ear

ning

s fo

r dep

ende

nt

spou

se a

nd/o

r chi

ldre

n to

m

ax $

1250

per

wee

k. 5

0%

of e

arni

ngs

for 1

4 w

eeks

to

3 ye

ars

$930

0 C

ouns

ellin

g fo

r fam

ily $

5160

m

ax

QLD

$45

8 37

010

% o

f ord

inar

y tim

e ea

rnin

gs

paya

ble

wee

kly

to e

ach

depe

nden

t fam

ily m

embe

r un

til 1

6 or

a s

tude

nt (w

here

sp

ouse

is to

tally

dep

ende

nt)

Rea

sona

ble

$1

2 24

5pa

id to

tota

lly d

epen

dent

sp

ouse

- re

duce

d by

the

tota

l am

ount

of w

eekl

y pa

ymen

t of

com

pens

atio

n W

A$2

30 9

9225

% o

f dec

ease

d’s

notio

nal

wee

kly

earn

ings

if c

hild

is

“orp

han”

, or 1

2.5%

if

“dep

ende

nt, n

on-o

rpha

ned”

or

a ch

ild’s

allo

wan

ce o

f $44

.20

per w

eek

$814

9


Dea

th b

enefi

tsLu

mp

sum

Wee

kly

paym

ents

/ ch

ildFu

nera

lO

ther

SA $

420

558

Orp

hane

d ch

ild -

25%

of

dece

ased

’s n

otio

nal w

eekl

y ea

rnin

gsN

ot o

rpha

ned

– 12

.5%

of

dece

ased

’s n

otio

nal w

eekl

y ea

rnin

gs

$747

0W

eekl

y pa

ymen

ts o

f up

to 5

0% o

f not

iona

l wee

kly

earn

ings

for a

tota

lly

depe

nden

t spo

use

or

dom

estic

par

tner

, les

s de

pend

ing

on d

egre

e of

de

pend

ency

TA

S $

223

824.

33

A de

pend

ent c

hild

is e

ntitl

ed

to 1

0% o

f the

bas

ic s

alar

y,

com

men

cing

on

the

expi

ratio

n of

13

wee

ks a

fter t

he d

ate

of

deat

h ($

60.6

6 pw

)

Rea

sona

ble

cost

of b

uria

l or

cre

mat

ion

Spo

use

is e

ntitl

ed to

wee

kly

paym

ents

cal

cula

ted

at th

e sa

me

rate

as

the

dece

ased

w

ould

hav

e re

ceiv

ed if

he/

she

beca

me

tota

lly in

capa

cita

ted

• fir

st 1

3 w

eeks

: 100

% o

f w

eekl

y pa

ymen

ts•

14-7

8 w

eeks

: 85%

of

wee

kly

paym

ents

• 78

wee

ks-2

yea

rs: 8

0%

of w

eekl

y pa

ymen

tsN

T$2

89 0

68

$111

.18

$578

1 -

AC

T$1

85 2

88$6

1.76

$4

941

- C

wea

lth$4

12 0

00

$113

.30

$957

5

-

Tabl

e 9

Dea

th b

enefi

ts a

s at

30

June

200

9 co

ntin

ued


Common lawWith the introduction of statutory ‘no-fault’ workers’ compensation schemes, access to common law has been significantly restricted and the worker has to prove the employer’s negligence before any common law action can succeed.Some jurisdictions have abolished the right to access common law; introduced threshold tests; placed restrictions on types of damages that an injured worker can receive; and/or placed caps on the amount of damages that can be awarded. If injured workers elect to pursue common law, they may have to reimburse their employer or WorkCover Authority for any statutory benefits paid out.

Table 10 Access to Common Law as at 30 June 2009

Jurisdiction Access Type of damages

Threshold Damages

NSW Yes Past and future economic loss

15% No cap

VIC Yes (post 20 Oct 1999)

Pain & sufferingEconomic loss

30% Permanent 40% Loss of earnings

Min $49 460, max $484 830Min $49 460, max$1 113 590

QLD Yes 20% No capWA Yes Min 15% $353 850 (<25%

WPI), no cap (>25% WPI)

SA No n/aTAS Yes Economic and

Non-economic loss

Min 30% No cap

NT No n/aACT Yes

(outside WC)

Economic and non-economic loss

No No cap

Cwealth Yes Non-economic loss

PI claim successful

$110 000


SourcesAll information on workers’ compensation arrangements is derived from the annual publications Comparison of Workers’ Compensation Arrangements in Australia and New Zealand and the Comparative Performance Monitoring Report published by Safe Work Australia.More detailed information on workers’ compensation generally and links to web pages related to each jurisdiction is available on the Safe Work Australia website.

Safe Work AustraliaGPO Box 641Canberra ACT 2601

Phone: 02 6121 5317 Email: [email protected]

key workers ’ compensation information, australia _wc... · key workers’ compensation...

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