Workers’ compensation fraud
Recent prosecutions send a clear message: fraud won’t be tolerated
Seven more people have been convicted of defrauding WorkCover this year.
A Gladstone worker was sentenced after pretending to be a physiotherapist and providing treatment reports to WorkCover to extend their claim. The worker also fraudulently claimed reimbursement for travel and other expenses and provided false medical certificates to the insurer.
The worker will serve three months of a 12-month sentence in custody and was also ordered to repay WorkCover $11,410.48.
A Townsville nursing assistant was convicted after she worked for approximately four months while receiving compensation and hid this from WorkCover. She advised her doctor that she couldn’t drive, however she was found to be driving to her undisclosed place of work. She also told Workcover she ‘wanted to work but couldn't’. When it was discovered that she had been working and was asked about it, she lied and said she was not working on a regular basis and that it was ‘just computer work’.
The worker was sentenced to six months imprisonment, wholly suspended for 18 months. She was also ordered to repay nearly $12,000 to WorkCover.
A FIFO worker in Mount Isa was convicted for making 33 false claims for reimbursement of expenses to travel to attend suitable duties he never undertook, and for accommodation that his employer had paid for.
The worker was sentenced to three months imprisonment, wholly suspended for 12 months and ordered to repay more than $4,500 to WorkCover.
A Brisbane youth care worker who was receiving workers’ compensation due to an injury to his back and neck, went back to work as a youth care worker and did not inform WorkCover Queensland. After four months back in his role, he was asked directly by WorkCover whether he was working and lied and said he wasn’t.
In June 2025, a tip off led to an investigation and subsequent prosecution, where he received a sentence of six months imprisonment, wholly suspended for 12 months. He was ordered to pay $8,896.33 in restitution, after already paying back $15,295.95 to WorkCover.
Another Brisbane worker was convicted of fraud for making a workers’ compensation claim for a back injury she said was caused by lifting heavy objects at work. After the worker’s claim closed, she commenced a claim against her employer alleging their negligence caused her to injure her back. CCTV footage of the workplace was uncovered which showed the injury didn’t happen. The worker was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment for fraud and 12 months’ imprisonment for attempted fraud and ordered to pay $74,648 in restitution.
A Gold Coast worker was convicted of one count of fraud and five counts of providing false or misleading information. The worker commenced employment on a casual basis shortly after lodging a workers' compensation claim and didn’t tell WorkCover. Once this casual work ended, he started another full-time job and again failed to notify WorkCover. The worker also provided WorkCover with false or misleading information, including a fake medical certificate.
The worker pled guilty to defrauding WorkCover and was ordered to pay back $43,471.03 (he had already paid back $3,014.45 at the time of sentence). He was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment for fraud, wholly suspended for three years, and three months’ imprisonment for the false and misleading information charges, wholly suspended for a period of six months, with all sentences to run concurrently. He was also sentenced to complete 240 hours of unpaid community service for the fifth charge.
In a separate case, another Gold Coast worker was receiving workers’ compensation due to a back injury, and during the claim, went back to work for two separate employers and didn’t tell WorkCover. In June 2025, after his claim was suspended when he didn't participate in the required rehabilitation, he was asked directly whether he was working and denied it.
WorkCover received a tip-off that the worker was working and lying to WorkCover about it, which led to an investigation and subsequent prosecution. The worker pled guilty to defrauding WorkCover and was sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for two years. He was also ordered to pay back $9,431.52 to WorkCover (he had already paid back $2,200 at the time of sentencing).
Fraud is a crime. If you suspect it, report it.
Read more workers’ compensation fraud and other prosecution outcomes.
Fraud Taskforce update
The Workers’ Compensation Fraud Taskforce (Taskforce) reached a significant milestone with the completion of a Fraud Action Plan designed to strengthen the prevention, detection and response to fraud across Queensland's workers' compensation scheme.
Under the Fraud Action Plan, the Taskforce is targeting engaging in a calling (EIC) fraud, which has been identified as one of the scheme's highest-risk fraud types. This program aims to increase public awareness, strengthen deterrence and improve compliance outcomes.
EIC fraud occurs when a worker receiving workers' compensation benefits engages in paid work, unpaid work or volunteer activities during a statutory claim and, without reasonable excuse, fails to notify their workers' compensation insurer.
The prevalence of EIC fraud highlights the importance of targeted prevention and compliance activities. Around 60 per cent of all fraud reports received by the Regulator relate to EIC fraud, making it the most reported fraud type in the scheme.
EIC fraud also carries a significant financial impact. Over the past five years, Queensland courts have ordered workers to repay more than $1.19 million to insurers after finding that they had engaged in a calling while receiving workers' compensation benefits, and without notifying their insurer.