Payments and leave while on workers compensation
Workers compensation is a form of insurance payment paid to employees if they are injured at work or become sick due to their work.
On this page:
- Payment of workers compensation
- Superannuation and workers compensation
- Accident pay
- Leave and workers compensation
- Tools and resources
- Related information
Payment of workers compensation
The amount of money paid to employees on workers compensation will depend on the state or territory.
The amount paid to an employee is an insurance payment and not a wage. The employee is paid:
- directly by the insurer
- from the insurer through the employer, or
- by the workers compensation regulator.
What if my employer does not pay the workers compensation?
Sometimes the insurer accepts the workers compensation claim and the employer doesn't pass on the insurance money to the employee.
An employee can take the following steps to resolve this issue:
- Contact the employer regarding the payment.
- Contact the insurance company regarding the matter.
- Contact the workers compensation regulator in their state or territory.
Superannuation and workers compensation
Some awards and registered agreements may give employees an entitlement to superannuation while they’re away from work on workers compensation. For more information and to check your award go to Tax and superannuation.
Accident pay
Some awards have entitlements to accident pay for employees on workers compensation. Accident pay is the difference between what an employee would normally get paid and the amount they get paid from workers compensation. It's paid by the employer.
To check whether your award has accident pay, select from the list below:
Leave and workers compensation
Employees on workers compensation can take unpaid parental leave if they're eligible. Go to Parental leave to find out who is eligible for parental leave.
If it's allowed under the state or territory workers compensation legislation, employees can take or accrue:
- annual leave
- personal leave
- long service leave.
Visit our Library to learn more about Annual leave and sick leave on workers compensation.
You can also contact the relevant workers compensation regulator in your state or territory for information about long service leave on workers compensation.
Employees don't get public holidays while on workers compensation.
