All about WorkCover medical panels in Victoria Summary The medical panel is made up of a panel of doctors that have been asked to resolve a medical question or questions. Their job is to assess an injured worker, to consider any medical evidence and to provide a...
WorkCover certificate of capacity What is a WorkCover certificate of capacity? A certificate of capacity is a document that describes your injury or illness. It provides an opinion on your capacity to work and any limitations that you have on performing your work...
WorkCover claims process flow chartBelow is a WorkCover claims process flow chart that outlines the WorkCover process in Victoria. For a broader explanation of how WorkCover works as a whole, see How does WorkCover work? For the detailed step-by-step version of this...
The WorkCover claim process in Victoria How to claim WorkCover 1. Let your employer know about the injury/illness/condition You should let your employer know that you have suffered an injury related to your employment within 30 days of becoming aware of that injury....
WorkCover entitlements in Victoria Summary In Victoria, there are four main WorkCover entitlements. These are: medical and like expenses, weekly payments, impairment benefit and common law claim. Below we summarize all of the four major WorkCover entitlements. The...
WorkCover payment rates in Victoria This page covers the WorkCover payment rates in Victoria for each of the benefits you can receive and any minimum or maximum amounts payable. Medical and like expenses rates As with most insurance schemes, the amount WorkCover will...
WorkCover (Vic) questions and answers. Here's a list of common asked WorkCover questions with answers. When to report a work related injury? If you suffer an injury, you should report the injury as soon as possible. It should be reported to your employer within 30...
Do you accrue annual leave on WorkCover in Victoria? Summary If you have an accepted WorkCover claim in Victoria you are entitled to accrue annual leave while you’re on WorkCover in Victoria as long as a few simple conditions are met. Annual leave – what is it? Annual...
Are casual employees entitled to WorkCover? Summary Casual employees are entitled to claim WorkCover in Victoria just as any permanent employee would be if they suffer injury related to their employment. We also cover this topic from a different angle in WorkCover for...
Using sick leave while on workers compensation What’s the difference between sick leave and WorkCover payments? WorkCover is a type of insurance that covers injured workers. If injured workers need to take time off work due to an injury or illness, then generally...
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...
Can I be terminated while on WorkCover? Summary You are not able to be terminated from your employment in Victoria just because you made a WorkCover claim or because you have an injury. If an employer does terminate your job when you are on WorkCover there are legal...
Can you take holidays while on WorkCover? Yes, despite what many people believe, you can take holidays while on WorkCover. Just because you’re on WorkCover or in receipt of payments, does not mean you are not allowed to travel anywhere. Although you are allowed to...
Do employers have to accomodate injuries? Employers do need to accommodate people that have injuries. However, a distinction needs to be made between those people that have work related injuries and those who have and those who haven't lodged a WorkCover claim. As...
Quitting a job due to an injury: answers to common questions If you’re thinking of quitting your job because of an injury, this article should answer many of the questions you might have: Quitting a job because of an injury that isn’t work related If you’re sure the...
Can I resign while on WorkCover? Summary You can resign on WorkCover. However, you need to be aware that on some occasions your entitlements under the WorkCover scheme (Vic) may be impacted. To ensure as much as possible that they are not, you should make it clear...
The WorkCover return to work obligations The WorkCover return to work obligations are a list of requirements you need to reasonably follow to ensure your weekly payments are not suspended or terminated. If you are off work because of an injury and you have an accepted...
Injured at work but still working? If you have a WorkCover claim It is possible to be injured at work but continue working with the injury employer while on WorkCover. It is in fact quite common for injured workers to continue working with the employer on either a...
Unable to return to pre injury duties - what you need to know If you are unable to return to pre injury duties after an injury, there are some options open to you. However, what your options are will vary depending upon whether; The injury is work related and you have...
Working while on WorkCover in Victoria Summary Many people seem to believe that if you have a WorkCover claim, you are not able to work. And that if you do work while on WorkCover, your claim is finalised. This is not correct. You are able to work while on WorkCover,...
What happens if you can't return to work after injury? If you are unable to return to work following an injury related to your employment, there's two different scenarios that need to be considered. 1. If you're on WorkCover 2. If you're not on WorkCover. If you're...
WorkCover light duties - what you need to know If you suffered injury at work and you cannot do the same work as before your injury, you may need to go on light duties. Sometimes these are referred to as modified duties. If you have an accepted WorkCover claim you are...
Examples of WorkCover claims rejected This page will look at a number of examples of WorkCover claims being rejected. WorkCover claims can be rejected for a number of reasons. Many of the common reasons are listed in the examples below. Keep in mind that it's common...
WorkCover not paying? Here's what you can do There are various situations where WorkCover may not be paying you. This page will address the different times where you might find WorkCover not paying you and what you can do about it. There are two broad categories where...
What to do when you have problems with WorkCover Unfortunately, sometimes people that have WorkCover claims report experiencing problems. Below are a list of common problems that a person on WorkCover might experience, along with steps you can take to deal with the...
Compensation for workplace bullying Summary There are compensation options for workplace bullying via WorkCover, the Fair Work Commission, or the Human Rights Commission depending on their circumstances. What is workplace bullying? Workplace bullying is behaviour that...
The WorkCover settlement process (Vic) This page will look at the WorkCover settlement process in relation to each of the main WorkCover entitlements that a person may claim. Medical and like expenses and weekly payments settlement process If the WorkCover insurer has...
WorkCover and offers of settlement There are a number of occasions during a WorkCover claim where WorkCover may offer you a settlement. This article will explore those occasions and will discuss what you need to know in relation to each. Medical and like expenses...
WorkCover payout examples (Vic) Below are some WorkCover payout examples. You can use these examples to get an idea as to what you may be entitled to. Keep in mind that the WorkCover payout examples below are just that - they're examples for illustrative purposes....
WorkCover loss of income (economic loss) - how it is claimable Summary If a person suffers an injury at work and their ability to work is impacted, under the WorkCover scheme there are two ways that they can be compensated for their loss of income. The first is by the...
WorkCover claim settled - what now? When most people refer to their WorkCover claim having settled, what they’re usually referring to is that they’ve settled a lump sum claim. This article will look at what happens once your claim has resolved. Impairment benefit...
What is a fit for work certificate? This article will assume that you have a WorkCover claim on foot and that your ability to work has been impacted by an injury, illness or condition related to your employment. It will also assume that you are thinking of returning...
Your final certificate of capacity There’s nothing in the WorkCover legislation (laws) that refers to a “final certificate of capacity”. So it’s not a legal term, but it is a term you will see used to describe a couple of different concepts. Every WorkCover claim...
WorkCover and the first certificate of capacity The first WorkCover certificate of capacity that a person obtains in relation to their WorkCover claim must not exceed 14 days (in most cases) and must be issued by a medical practitioner. This page will look into first...
What is a WorkCover certificate? A WorkCover certificate is usually called a certificate of capacity or a work capacity certificate. It is a certificate that is specifically used in WorkCover matters, and is different to a normal medical certificate that you might get...
When do you need a certificate of capacity? You need a certificate of capacity when you want to claim weekly payments from the WorkCover insurer. Certificates only required when claiming weekly payments Certificates of capacity are only required if you want to claim...
Do I need a return to work certificate in Victoria? If you have a WorkCover claim in Victoria and you want to return to work, you might be wondering whether you need a return to work certificate. What is a return to work certificate? Technically speaking, under the...
All about WorkCover weekly payments WorkCover weekly payments are income payments paid to an injured worker if they have an accepted WorkCover claim, and their ability to work has been impacted by an injury. If you are unable to work or have a restricted work...
Are WorkCover payments taxable? Weekly payments from the WorkCover insurer are taxed just as your wages paid by your employer would be taxed. In most cases, WorkCover payments are actually made to you by your employer and they will process it similarly to a regular...
How long does it take to get WorkCover payments? If the WorkCover insurer accepts your claim, it should take 4-6 weeks (approximately) from when you completed and signed the claim form, for you to get WorkCover payments. If you want to read more about how long you...
WorkCover underpayment of wages - all you need to know There are a number of different times where you may feel that you are under paid by WorkCover. This article will examine why you might be underpaid by WorkCover and what the solutions are to the issue. You...
WorkCover make up pay - how it works WorkCover weekly payments are not paid at 100% of your pre-injury average weekly earnings. Weekly payments commence at 95% of your pre injury earnings and later on drop down to 80%. The WorkCover insurer will not pay you full wages...
Do you get paid normally on WorkCover? If you lodge a WorkCover claim in Victoria and it gets accepted, in some instances you'll be entitled to be paid income replacement benefits. These are sometimes referred to as weekly payments of compensation. You are entitled...
How do I make a claim for loss of earnings under WorkCover? Summary If you have been injured at work, it is possible to claim for your loss of earnings under WorkCover. The two main avenues to do so are via weekly payments and a common law claim. You should have a...
Is WorkCover ordinary time earnings? Summary No, in most cases when it comes to the payment of WorkCover payments, you will not be paid your equivalent ordinary time earnings. WorkCover weekly payments are paid to you at the rate of 95% of your pre-injury average...
Have your WorkCover payments stopped? Summary There are a number of reasons why your WorkCover payments may have stopped. Common reasons are: if you have made a return to full unrestricted work duties, or if you've reached the end of the second entitlement period....
Continuation of weekly payments after 130 weeks In many instances, once a person on weekly payments hits the 130 week mark, their payments are likely to be terminated. There are two instances in which a person will be entitled to weekly payments continuing beyond the...
WorkCover payments and public holidays in Victoria Do you get paid public holidays when on workcover in Victoria? You don’t get paid for public holidays while on WorkCover in the same way that you would if you were not on WorkCover. When on WorkCover, public holidays...
Does WorkCover have minimum wages? WorkCover does not have minimum wages (weekly payments). It does not take into account the national minimum wage or wage amounts referred to in an agreement or an award. A person’s weekly payments are based on their pre injury...
Reinstatement of weekly payments Summary It can be possible to have your weekly payments under the WorkCover scheme reinstated at some point after they have ceased. Reinstatement after 130 week termination Weekly payments are often terminated after a worker has...
Being made a WorkCover direct payee In certain instances when you have an accepted WorkCover claim and you are receiving weekly payments, you can be made a direct payee by the WorkCover insurer. What this means is that the WorkCover insurer will pay you your weekly...
