WORKERS’ COMPENSATION BOOST FOR SERIOUSLY INJURED WORKERS
Published Wednesday, 31 October, 2007 at 09:03 AM
Minister for Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
Legislation providing more than $24 million in improved workers’ compensation benefits a year was passed by the Queensland government yesterday.
Employment and Industrial Relations Minister John Mickel said the The Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation and Other Acts Amendment Act 2007 provides improved benefits including rehabilitation and return to work initiatives aimed at helping longer term and seriously injured workers and their families.
“The legislation will increase benefits to 75% of normal weekly earnings or 70% of Queensland Ordinary Time Earnings if the injury period extends beyond twelve months.
“The maximum additional lump sum compensation payment will increase to $209,555 (from $191,345) and this will be easier to access with the reduction of the threshold level of work-related impairment from 50% to 30%.”
Mr Mickel said the Department of Employment and Industrial Relations had also developed strategies to boost rehabilitation and return to work results.
“These will be implemented in consultation with WorkCover and Q-COMP through a number of linked initiatives, covered in the legislation,” he said.
“The department will work with Q-COMP, WorkCover, and industry and unions to develop industry based rehabilitation initiatives in key high risk sectors such as health and community services, construction and manufacturing.
“Getting injured workers back to work sooner and in suitable employment arrangements will address social equity as well as reducing workers’ compensation costs.“
Mr Mickel said other legislative changes include the establishment of an independent Licensing Review Committee to provide a more robust, transparent and effective system of dealing with workplace health and safety occupational licensing issues.
“The Committee will have the power to order a wide range of disciplinary actions including cautions, orders to undertake training, fines, suspension and cancellation,” he said.
Amendments to the Electrical Safety Act 2002 include:
• An increased range of disciplinary action available to the Electrical Licensing Committee for holders of work licences and to holders of electrical contractor licences no longer in force; and
• provisions to clarify options in the event of seizure by an inspector of electrical equipment that causes or has the potential to cause an electrical risk.
Industrial Relations legislation has been amended so that employers must keep time and wages records for former employees employed under an industrial instrument.
Media contact: Chris Brown (07) 3237 1944 or Elouise Campion (07) 3237 1125.
November 1, 2007
Employment and Industrial Relations Minister John Mickel said the The Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation and Other Acts Amendment Act 2007 provides improved benefits including rehabilitation and return to work initiatives aimed at helping longer term and seriously injured workers and their families.
“The legislation will increase benefits to 75% of normal weekly earnings or 70% of Queensland Ordinary Time Earnings if the injury period extends beyond twelve months.
“The maximum additional lump sum compensation payment will increase to $209,555 (from $191,345) and this will be easier to access with the reduction of the threshold level of work-related impairment from 50% to 30%.”
Mr Mickel said the Department of Employment and Industrial Relations had also developed strategies to boost rehabilitation and return to work results.
“These will be implemented in consultation with WorkCover and Q-COMP through a number of linked initiatives, covered in the legislation,” he said.
“The department will work with Q-COMP, WorkCover, and industry and unions to develop industry based rehabilitation initiatives in key high risk sectors such as health and community services, construction and manufacturing.
“Getting injured workers back to work sooner and in suitable employment arrangements will address social equity as well as reducing workers’ compensation costs.“
Mr Mickel said other legislative changes include the establishment of an independent Licensing Review Committee to provide a more robust, transparent and effective system of dealing with workplace health and safety occupational licensing issues.
“The Committee will have the power to order a wide range of disciplinary actions including cautions, orders to undertake training, fines, suspension and cancellation,” he said.
Amendments to the Electrical Safety Act 2002 include:
• An increased range of disciplinary action available to the Electrical Licensing Committee for holders of work licences and to holders of electrical contractor licences no longer in force; and
• provisions to clarify options in the event of seizure by an inspector of electrical equipment that causes or has the potential to cause an electrical risk.
Industrial Relations legislation has been amended so that employers must keep time and wages records for former employees employed under an industrial instrument.
Media contact: Chris Brown (07) 3237 1944 or Elouise Campion (07) 3237 1125.
November 1, 2007