Payments and support
There are a number of ways an insurer can support a worker recovering from a work-related injury or illness.
Payments or other support can only be provided if a claim is accepted. Workers can receive support from the date their doctor first assessed their injury. Doctors will provide a work capacity certificate to cover any time a worker needs to take off work or to cover the period of time treatment is needed.
What payments can be accessed?
Workers’ compensation may provide payments for:
- lost wages (weekly compensation)
- medical and rehabilitation costs
- travel (treatment/claim related)
- permanent impairment or latent onset injuries via lump sum
- death benefits and funeral costs.
An insurer may be able to reimburse workers for costs they are required to pay for medical and rehabilitation treatment.
What is not paid for?
Workers’ compensation does not provide payments for:
- damage to clothing or jewellery
- damage to vehicles if an injury happened while travelling to or from work
- any hospital costs that aren’t approved.
Need urgent help?
If you, or someone you know, is experiencing a mental health crisis, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. If life is in immediate danger call 000.
It’s important that workers with a psychological injury start getting support early to help their recovery.
Getting treatment early puts a worker on the path to recovery sooner and may prevent symptoms from becoming worse.
While a claim is being assessed, a worker can usually access certain psychological health treatments funded by their insurer.
Treatment might include:
- GP mental health appointments
- counselling or psychology sessions
- psychiatry appointments
- reasonable travel expenses incurred to access and attend treatment
- medication, such as antidepressants.
What is not covered:
- in-patient hospital costs
- costs related to a hospital stay, such as nursing, or medications received in hospital.
Insurers can provide more information on how to access treatment options after a claim is lodged.
An insurer can also help with mediation services between a worker and their employer, to support recovery and getting back to work.
Please note
To access early psychological support, a worker needs to have lodged a workers’ compensation claim and have a work capacity certificate from their doctor confirming the diagnosis of a psychological injury.
If an insurer decides not to accept a worker’s claim, they will let both the worker and employer know. If this happens, funding for treatment will stop but a worker won't have to pay back the costs for treatment already received.
If a worker has had a previous workers’ compensation claim for a psychological injury caused by the same or a similar circumstances, they should talk to their insurer about whether they’ll pay for treatment while their claim is assessed.
- Lifeline 13 11 14
- Beyond Blue 1300 224 636
- Workers’ Psychological Support Service 1800 370 732 (during business hours) or email info@wpss.org.au. A free, confidential, independent and expert call back service where Queenslanders struggling psychologically due to an injury at work can access support from a social worker. Please note, this is not a crisis service.
- Suicide Call Back Service A national 24/7 telehealth provider that offers free professional phone and online counselling for people living in Australia.
- 1300 MH CALL 1300 642 255. A confidential mental health telephone service for Queenslanders linking you to public mental health services.
- QLife (LGBTIQ+) 1800 184 527 (3pm - midnight, 7 days).
- Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800. A free 24/7 online and phone counselling service for teens and young people aged up to 25.
For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- 13 Yarn Crisis Support 13 92 76. 24-hour crisis support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
- Brother to Brother 24-hour crisis line 1800 435 799.
- WellMob Social, emotional and cultural wellbeing online resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
- Black Dog Institute offers a list of support services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Domestic and family violence support
- 1800 RESPECT 1800 737 732. 24-hour national domestic, family and sexual violence counselling, information and support service.
Emergency service workers
- The National Emergency Worker Support Service offers free and confidential mental health support for emergency service workers and volunteers (both active and retired).
Financial hardship
Victims of crime
If you’re a victim of a violent crime, you can access support through Victim Assist Queensland, and understand your rights under the Charter of Victims' Rights.
MATES in Construction
MATES in Construction supports workers in construction and mining through peer support, suicide awareness and connecting workers to mental health support services.
Workers' Compensation Information and Advisory Services
For workers and people making a claim
- Call 1800 102 166 or visit the website to submit a query online.
Free, independent and confidential information and advice to help workers and people making a claim to navigate the Queensland workers’ compensation scheme.
For employers
- Call 1300 365 855 or visit the website.
Free, independent, confidential and expert advice for Queensland employers navigating a workers’ compensation claim.