WorkCover entitlements (Vic) In Victoria, there are four main WorkCover entitlements. These are: Medical and like expenses Weekly payments Impairment benefit Common law claim Below we summarize all of the four major WorkCover entitlements. You can also look at this...
Are casual employees entitled to WorkCover? Yes, casual employees are entitled to claim WorkCover in Victoria just as any permanent employee would be if they suffer injury related to their employment. Unfortunately, many people are not aware of the fact that the...
How to calculate your PIAWE If you can’t work because of a work related injury and you have an accepted WorkCover claim in Victoria, you may be entitled to weekly payments. These payments are based on what's called your PIAWE. What is PIAWE? PIAWE means ‘pre injury...
Does PIAWE include super? Your PIAWE calculation (otherwise known as your ‘pre injury average weekly earnings’) does not include superannuation. This means that any superannuation you have been paid prior to your injury is not taken into account when your PIAWE is...
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...
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...
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...
Reinstatement of weekly payments It can be possible to have your weekly payments under the WorkCover scheme reinstated at some point after they have ceased. This page goes into the circumstances in which you might apply for reinstatement and what you can expect to...
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. You might get a “final...
Injury at work compensation - what can you claim? If you suffer an injury at work or over the course of your employment in Victoria, there are several options open to you should you wish to pursue compensation. The main option open to people is to pursue a WorkCover...
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...
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...
Does WorkCover pay overtime? WorkCover will not pay you any overtime you've missed out on dollar for dollar. Instead, WorkCover will factor any overtime you earned in the 12 months (or shorter period) into your pre injury average weekly earnings calculation. Overtime...
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...
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...
Continuation of weekly payments after 130 weeks In most 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...
Have your WorkCover payments stopped? 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. There are...
What is WorkCover leave? In Victoria, technically there is nothing called ‘WorkCover leave’. If you are absent from work either on a partial basis or a complete basis because of your work-related injury and you have a WorkCover claim on foot, any time off work is...
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...
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...
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...
Is WorkCover ordinary time earnings? 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 weekly...
Working while on WorkCover (Vic) Many people 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, whether that be in the...
WorkCover and offers of settlement (Vic) 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...
When can you claim workers compensation in Victoria? You can claim workers compensation in Victoria when you suffer an injury, illness or condition that is connected to employment. This page will explore things further. Workers compensation claim criteria In order to...
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...
How do I make a claim for loss of earnings? (Vic) If you have been injured at work, it is possible to claim for your loss of earnings. Generally speaking, there are two ways that the WorkCover system can compensate you for your loss of earnings. This article will...
I hurt my back at work what should I do? Work related back injuries are very common. In Victoria, recent WorkSafe Victoria data shows that around 15% of all injuries suffered at work are to the back. Here are your options if you suffer a back injury at work. Get...
Is WorkCover a salary? (Vic) In one sense, WorkCover is a salary. If you have an accepted WorkCover claim in Victoria, one of your potential entitlements is the payment of weekly payments to cover some of your lost wages. However, it is important to keep in mind that...
Fit for work certificates (Vic) - what you need to know 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...
I got injured at work, do I need a lawyer? The reality is that you don't need a lawyer in every matter involving an injury at work. If you are not intending to pursue a WorkCover claim then in most cases you won't need to engage a lawyer. Just make sure the injury is...
Do I 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...
If I get injured at work do I get paid? If you get injured at work, and that injury is in some way related to your employment, then it is possible to be paid compensation for some of your lost earnings if your ability to work is impacted. In order to be paid, you must...
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...
WorkCover claim settled: now what? 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 settled. Impairment benefit...
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...
Is income protection the same as workers compensation? No. While there are similarities between the two, they are different things. Income protection a type of insurance that will pay you a regular income benefit if you're unable to work because of an injury, illness...
WorkCover claims process flow chartBelow is a WorkCover claims process flow chart that outlines the WorkCover process in Victoria. On the left, you have the 'no fault entitlements'. These are entitlements can be claimed by a person regardless as to whether there was...
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...
Injured at work but still working?What you need to know. 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...
WorkCover make up pay - how it works As you may have read on other articles on our website, 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...
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...
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...
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 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...
WorkCover or income protection? WorkCover is designed to assist people if they’ve been injured or suffered a condition that has some connection to employment. Income protection is a type of insurance that is designed to pay you a regular benefit if you can’t work...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Does WorkCover back pay? Yes, if your claim is rejected and then later accepted, you’re entitled to be back paid to put you in the position of if your claim was initially accepted. If you reach an agreement with the insurance company or their lawyers to resolve your...
