WORKERS’ COMPENSATION & YOU

March 31, 2021 News

Why Should I Claim Workers’ Compensation if I am Injured at Work?

With the range of ‘early intervention schemes’ that major retailers now have to offer injured workers as an alternative option to making a claim for workers’ compensation, members might ask “Why go to the time and trouble of claiming Workers’ Compensation especially when managers are telling you how easy and quick these schemes can be in terms of recovering your costs”.

However, your employer is not telling you that the whole point of these non-workers’ compensation options is that they enable the employer to avoid Workers’ Compensation claims.

Why do companies want to avoid workers’ compensation claims?

To lower costs.

Because many management bonuses are partially based on ‘Lost Time Injuries’; the fewer Workers’ Compensations claims that are lodged, the greater the chance the manager’s bonus will be higher.

So, whose interests are best served by these alternate options for injured workers?

I’ll let the reader decide. You can only choose either between the employer and the employee.

Every worker in Queensland is covered for Workers’ Compensation and has the right to make a claim if they are injured at work.

The SDA strongly encourages all members to lodge a Workers’ Compensation Claim if injured at work or on the journey to or from work and to resist the employer’s urgings to use one of these non-Workers’ Compensation options instead.
In the final analysis, you will be much better off to stick with the Workers’ Compensation system, despite what your employer might say to convince you otherwise.

Workers’ Compensation is the only system which will properly cater for your needs and cover all your costs and losses associated with a work injury.