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Workers compensation

Information about workers compensation, an insurance payment for employees who are injured or become sick at work.

  • Time limit

    A claim for workers compensation should be made within six months of the date of injury or death.

    In some circumstances, the time limit may be exceeded to three years if you were not in the State or the injury resulted in death or serious and permanent impairment. 

About workers compensation

Workers compensation is a type of insurance payment that you may be able to receive if you are injured or become sick due to your work.

Workers compensation payments can cover your:

  • wages, while you are unable to work
  • medical expenses, treatment and rehabilitation costs.

Your employer must have workers compensation insurance to protect them from the costs of workers compensation claims, unless they are exempt.

For more information, see Workers compensation on the State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA) website.

If you have been injured at work

You must report the injury to your workplace within 30 days. You must provide:

  • the time and date of the injury or illness
  • a description of how it happened
  • a description of the injury or illness.

You should visit your doctor and ask for a Certificate of Capacity which has details about your diagnosis and your capacity to work.

Your employer should give you a workers’ compensation claim form to complete. You can also get this form from your doctor.

After you lodge your claim, the insurer will contact you to let you know if they have accepted or rejected your claim.

For more information, see Workers compensation claims on the SIRA website.

If your employer refuses to do anything, you can contact SIRA.

Complaints about your insurance claim

If you have a problem with your insurance claim, you can contact the Independent Review Office about:

  • a work capacity decision dispute
  • a permanent impairment and medical dispute
  • a liability dispute.

The Independent Review Office is an independent body that deals with complaints by injured workers against insurers. This includes complaints about weekly benefits, medical treatment, denials of liability and delays in determining claims.

If you have a dispute about injury management, you may be able to apply to the Personal Injury Commission. The Personal Injury Commission is an independent tribunal that helps resolve disputes between workers, employers, and insurers.

If you are unsure how to make a complaint, you should get legal advice.

For more information, see Workers compensation disputes on the SIRA website. 

Injuries outside of work

Workers compensation only covers injuries that occur in the workplace.

If you are injured or become sick outside of work, you may be able to take leave while you recover. For more information, see Leave.

If you have an income protection policy and you haven’t been well enough to work because of an injury or illness, you may also be able to lodge a claim under your insurance policy. Income protection insurance pays part of your lost income if you can’t work because of a temporary illness or injury.

If you haven’t purchased an income protection policy, you should check whether you have a policy through your superannuation fund. Most superannuation funds offer income protection insurance to their members.

For more information, see Income protection insurance on the moneysmart website.