Some jobs come with a higher risk of accidents and injury than others. When it comes to ensuring your financial security during this time of uncertainty, it’s vital to understand workers’ compensation and how it can help you. Employers can also benefit from reading up on this to make sure they’re protecting their employees’ safety after an incident. 

Keep reading for our guide to workers’ compensation payouts and everything you need to know about workers’ compensation. 

Workers’ Compensation in Australia

Workers’ compensation is designed to protect and support workers who suffer injuries or ailments at work, so you can still receive financial compensation to cover the cost of living, medical bills, and recovery. 

Australian states and territories often have different workers’ compensation laws in place, so this is not a uniform compensation rate. Each jurisdiction will have its own set of regulations and requirements for workers’ compensation, so it’s often important to seek local legal advice when claiming compensation for an injury within the workplace. 

How is Workers’ Compensation Calculated?

There are three main factors used to determine how much you’ll get through your compensation payout, including:

  1. Expert medical assessment of the injury
  2. The amount of lost earnings during the time you’re unable to work
  3. How much your future earnings have been impacted by

Once the claim has been successfully accepted, you’ll be paid a percentage of your earnings calculated based on your average weekly pay. This percentage might reduce over time if you’re off work for a longer period of time. 

The percentage of earnings might differ depending on your territory, so we’ve listed the averages below:

New South Wales

0 to 13 weeks (time off): 95% (of your pre-injury earnings)

14 to 130 weeks: 80%

131 to 260 weeks: 80% (work capacity assessment may be required to confirm your inability to return to work)

261 weeks and over: 80% (if body impairment is more than 20%)

Victoria 

0 to 13 weeks (time off): 95%

14 to 26 weeks: 80%

27 to 52 weeks: 80%

53 to 104 weeks: 80%

105 weeks and over: 80% (work capacity assessment may be required to confirm your inability to return to work)

Queensland 

0 to 13 weeks (time off): 85%

14 to 26 weeks: 75%

27 to 52 weeks: 75%

53 to 104 weeks: 75%

105 weeks and over: 75% (if body impairment is more than 15%)

Western Australia 

0 to 13 weeks (time off): 100%

14 to 26 weeks: 100%

27 to 52 weeks: 100%

53 to 104 weeks: 100%

105 weeks and over: 100%

South Australia 

0 to 13 weeks (time off): 100%

14 to 26 weeks: 100%

27 to 52 weeks: 100%

53 to 104 weeks: 80%

105 weeks and over: 80%

Tasmania 

0 to 13 weeks (time off): 100%

14 to 26 weeks: 100%

27 to 52 weeks: 90%

53 to 78 weeks: 90%

79 to 104 weeks: 85%

105 weeks and over: 80%

Northern Territory 

0 to 13 weeks (time off): 100%

14 to 26 weeks: 100%

27 to 52 weeks: 75 to 90%

53 to 104 weeks: 75 to 90%

105 weeks and over: 75 to 90% (compensation stops after 250 weeks unless the impairment is over 15%)

Australian Capital Territory 

0 to 13 weeks (time off): 100%

14 to 26 weeks: 100%

27 to 52 weeks: 65%

53 to 104 weeks: 65%

105 weeks and over: 65%

What is the Average Amount of Workers’ Compensation You Can Get? 

According to Safe Work Australia, here are the ten most common injuries at work and how they’re compensated:

  • Mental stress: $46,400
  • Motor incidents: $15,600
  • Body/muscular stress: $15,500
  • Falls, trips and slips: $14,900
  • Sound and pressure injury: $11,400
  • Being hit by moving objects: $11,000
  • Hitting objects with part of the body: $8,400
  • Chemical injuries: $7,900
  • Biological hazards: $4,700
  • Injuries caused by heat, electricity and other environmental factors: $3,600

The majority of cases were compensated much more wealthily when the injury was a result of employer negligence. The average compensation payout for when this could be proved was between $22,480 to $631,370. 

Final Thoughts

The amount of workers’ compensation you can get depends on where you are located and the current laws surrounding workplace incidents. Most territories will offer a high percentage of your paycheck for the first 13 weeks, with the amount slightly decreasing after this duration. 

You may also get a settlement sum, and this will be greatly increased if your injury has been caused by employer negligence.