Comparison of workers’ compensation arrangements in Australia …

Comparison of workers' compensation arrangements in Australia and New Zealand

October 2016

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Foreword

The Comparison of Workers' Compensation Arrangements in Australia and New Zealand (the report) provides information on the operation of workers' compensation schemes in each of the jurisdictions in Australia and New Zealand. The report provides background information and discusses the way each scheme deals with key aspects like coverage, benefits, return to work provisions, self-insurance, common law, dispute resolution and cross-border arrangements.

The majority of tables in this report provide a snapshot of workers' compensation arrangements as at 30 September 2015. Information taken from the 17th edition of the Comparative Performance Monitoring report covers the 2013?14 financial year and some jurisdictions have reported recent developments to the end of December 2015. As each jurisdiction may vary its arrangements from time to time and there may be some exceptions to the arrangements described in this edition, readers wanting more up to date information should check with the relevant authority.

On behalf of the Heads of Workers' Compensation Authorities (HWCA), the Victorian WorkCover Authority produced this publication from 1993 to 2005. The Australian Safety and Compensation Council took over responsibility for the report in 2006 and produced it in 2006 and 2007. Safe Work Australia has been producing the report since 2008. The work of the Victorian WorkCover Authority and the Australian Safety and Compensation Council is acknowledged. Safe Work Australia thanks representatives from each jurisdiction for the valuable assistance they have provided in producing this edition of the Comparison of Workers' Compensation Arrangements in Australia and New Zealand.

COMPARISON OF WORKERS' COMPENSATION ARRANGEMENTS 2016

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SAFE WORK AUSTRALIA

CONTENTS

Foreword.................................................................................................................. iii Chapter 1: Recent developments in workers' compensation schemes in Australia and New Zealand.................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 2: Schemes at a glance ............................................................................ 10 Table 2.1: Jurisdictional contacts ........................................................................... 12 Table 2.2: Agencies responsible for overseeing workers' compensation in each........ jurisdiction.............................................................................................................. 13 Table 2.3: Key features of schemes ....................................................................... 14 Table 2.4a: Summary of coverage (see Table 3.1a for more information) .............. 15 Table 2.4b: Guidelines and information for determining coverage of workers......... 18 Table 2.4c: Coverage of journeys and breaks ........................................................ 19 Table 2.4d: Definition of injury and employment contribution.................................. 20 Table 2.4e: Coverage of retirement provisions ....................................................... 22 Table 2.5: Summary of entitlements as at 30 September 2015 .............................. 23 Table 2.6: Prescribed time periods for injury notification ........................................ 27 Table 2.7: Prescribed time periods for claim submission ........................................ 28 Table 2.8: Prescribed time periods for payments ................................................... 32 Table 2.9: Dispute resolution process .................................................................... 34 Table 2.10: Definition of remuneration for the purpose of premium calculation....... 39 Table 2.11: Employer excess ................................................................................. 40 Table 2.12: Uninsured employer provisions ........................................................... 41 Table 2.13: Leave while on workers' compensation ............................................... 43 Table 2.14: Superannuation and workers' compensation ....................................... 46

Chapter 3: Coverage and eligibility for benefits ...................................................... 48

Table 3.1a: Definition of worker ................................................................................. (see Table 2.4a for summary of coverage of worker) ............................................. 49 Table 3.1b: Coverage of contractors and labour hire workers .................................... (see Table 2.4a for summary of coverage of workers)............................................ 51 Table 3.2: Deemed workers ................................................................................... 52 Table 3.3: Workers' Compensation coverage for volunteers .................................. 55 Table 3.4: Treatment of sportspersons and sporting injuries .................................. 57 Table 3.5: Workers' compensation arrangements for government employers ........ 59 Table 3.6: Workers' compensation arrangements for judges ..................................... and members of parliament.................................................................................... 61 Table 3.7: Industrial deafness thresholds ............................................................... 63 Table 3.8: Definition of work -- journeys and breaks ............................................. 64

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