Workers' compensation

News and Announcements

Follow this link for ACTPS workers’ compensation news and announcements

Do you need help?

If you’re looking for help or information about workers’ compensation, talk to the Injury Management team:

injurymanagement@act.gov.au
02 6205 4519

Lodge a claim

Complete and submit your workers’ compensation claim online.

Injured Workers Service

The service provides independent advice and support to injured workers in the ACT. It is funded by EML and operated by the Trades and Labor Council of the ACT (UnionsACT). Workers in the ACT, including ACTPS employees, can seek advice, support and assistance via the website, email, phone line and via referrals from EML and UnionsACT affiliated unions.

Contact the Injured Workers Service by:

Can I claim?

Am I eligible to make a claim?

ACTPS staff are eligible to claim workers’ compensation for injuries and illnesses during your work or due to your work. These injuries could occur while:

  • you were at work (including during an ordinary recess)
  • you were working or on work-related business out of office
  • you were travelling for work or on work related business

You may also claim compensation if you consider your employment caused or contributed to a disease or aggravated a disease. For a disease claim to be accepted, your employment must have significantly contributed to your disease or its aggravation.

What claims could be excluded?

The SRC Act excludes any:

Disease, injury or aggravation claims suffered as a result of reasonable administrative action taken in a reasonable manner by an employer. Reasonable administrative action includes, but is not limited to:

  • reasonable appraisal of performance
  • a reasonable counselling action (whether formal or informal)
  • a reasonable suspension action
  • a reasonable disciplinary action
  • failure to obtain a promotion, reclassification, transfer or benefit, or to retain a benefit in connection with work.

Other reasons a claim might be denied include:

  • injury that is intentionally self-inflicted
  • injury that is caused by serious and wilful misconduct (except where the injury results in death or serious and permanent impairment)
  • injury while travelling between home and usual place of work
  • disease, where there has been a wilful and false representation that an employee did not or had not previously suffered from that disease, in connection with their employment or proposed employment.

Note: a person who is under the influence of alcohol or a drug, other than a prescribed drug correctly taken, "shall be taken to be guilty of serious and wilful misconduct".

The information above is provided as a guide only and the final decision on any claim you lodge will be made by the relevant determining authority.

Who determines my claim?

EML manages all workers’ compensation cases and new claims.

How to lodge a claim

Step 1—Report your injury

If you have injured yourself or developed a disease that you believe is related to your employment you should report this to your supervisor as soon as possible—whether you intend to make a claim for workers' compensation or not.

Step 2—Seek treatment and get a medical certificate

If you have not already done so, see a medical provider and ask them to give you a Certificate of Capacity, which gives a precise diagnosis of the condition for which you are claiming workers' compensation, cause of the condition, date of injury, fitness for work, recommended treatment and other details as required.

Read more on What information should a Certificate of Capacity include?

It is important that you submit a detailed medical certificate with any new workers' compensation claim. This ensures that we are able to make a timely determination about your claim and provide you with the support and treatment required to return to work and health sooner.

Step 3—Complete a workers' compensation claim form

You can now complete a workers' compensation claim online.

If you are unable to complete the claim form online, a claim form can be downloaded or your employer can provide you with a printed version.

Before you start your online claim ensure you have the following:

  • An email address where EML can send you a link to your completed claim form
  • Your Medicare number
  • Your BSB and bank account number
  • A scanned copy of your Medical Certificate for Compensation–Certificate of Capacity or Certificate of Capacity

Or

  • A certificate from your treating practitioner, if you are claiming for chiropractic, physiotherapy, dentistry or osteopathic treatment and not for time off work.

For employees claiming for a psychological injury a statement must be attached to the workers’ compensation claim form outlining the events that contributed to the injury in support of the claim.

If you need help to complete a statement, information can be found on the Employment statements webpage.

Alongside your workers' compensation claim form, you will be supplied with a Privacy Statement and Information Consent Form to consent for the ACT Government to collect your personal information. You can find more information on how we collect and manage your personal information in the privacy statement.

Step 4—Lodge the form with your employer

Where you have used the online workers’ compensation claim form, your claim will be submitted to your employer once you press the ‘submit’ button online. Once you have submitted your online claim you will receive an email advising you that your claim has been submitted to your employer.

After your employer has submitted part B of your claim form EML will contact you.

If you have completed a downloaded or printed version of the workers’ compensation claim form, give it to your supervisor or the Human Resources contact with your comprehensive medical certificate and any other statements or supporting material as soon as practicable.

Step 5 – Manage your claim

Once you and your employer have submitted the completed claim form, you will be assigned an EML claims manager who will get in touch with you when they begin to assess your claim.

If you need urgent medical or rehabilitation treatment, please contact your claims manager to discuss your options.

Providing Feedback

As a self-insurer, the ACT welcomes feedback about your experiences as a client or stakeholder of self-insurance services. For more information about how you can provide feedback see the Self-insurance: Providing feedback fact sheet.

About EML

Employers Mutual Limited (EML) has been providing claims management services for over 100 years, supporting government agencies and businesses across Australia.

EML will support the ACT Government as a self-insurer, providing workers’ compensation services to the ACTPS.

To learn more about EML, visit their website.