Sick leave or WorkCover – what should I take?

If you suffer a work related injury, you may consider using your sick leave instead of lodging a WorkCover claim if you need time off work. For example, you may wish to do so if you have a significant amount of sick leave saved up that you want to use. Of if you are sure that you might only need a very short period of time off work.

However, if you’re not sure how long you may actually need off work, or if you’re going to need an extended period of time off work, usually accessing WorkCover payments will be a better option.

This article will explore the issue further.

If you are deciding whether to use sick leave or WorkCover, (and do not have a WorkCover claim)

If you have a WorkCover claim and are deciding whether to use sick leave or WorkCover payments:

If you already have a WorkCover claim lodged and you require some time off work, then in most cases it makes sense to access your WorkCover weekly payments entitlement.

The way, you’ll be able to keep your sick leave saved up, and to use when you need to take time off work that do not relate to your work related injury or illness.

Conclusion

There are a few instances where you might consider using your sick leave instead of WorkCover. For example, if you’re confident you will only need a short period of time off work, if you wish to see how your injury progresses before deciding whether to lodge a WorkCover claim, or if you don’t wish to access any other WorkCover entitlements (eg: payment of medical expenses or lump sum compensation).

However, if you’re to sure how long your injury is likely to persist for, how long you might need off work, or if you’re confident that your ability to work is going to be impacted for a lengthy period of time, a WorkCover claim might be your best option.