Safe Work Australia has published a snapshot of COVID-19 related workers’ compensation claims data as at July 31, 2020.
The number of new COVID-19 workers’ compensation claims lodged across Australia as at July 31, 2020 is 533, SafeWork Australia has reported.
Key Findings
Data is provided by claim type, industry, occupation, age, gender and jurisdiction. Key findings show that as at 31 July 2020:
- 533 workers’ compensation claims related to COVID-19 were lodged in Australia
- 34 per cent of these claims related to mental health impacts of COVID-19
- 34 per cent of workers’ compensation claims lodged were from the health care and social assistance industry
- 17 per cent of workers’ compensation claims lodged were from the public administration and safety industry
- the ‘community and personal service workers’ occupation had the highest number of workers’ compensation claims.
The data has been collected from the relevant Commonwealth, state and territory workers’ compensation authorities.
Out of 533 claims, 253 were accepted, 95 were rejected* and 185 were pending.
Of the claims lodged as at July 31, 2020 were workers who had contracted the COVID-19, 179 were for mental health impacts related to the virus and 152 were related to testing or isolation requirements. The percentage of claims by type was as follows:
- 34 per cent – mental health claims
- 29 per cent – testing or isolation claims
- 38 per cent – COVID-19 claims.
A snapshot infographic is available at www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/doc/covid-19- workers-compensation-claims-lodged
*Rejected claims may include a range of scenarios, including where a worker was tested for COVID-19 but found to be negative, or where there was evidence the disease was not contracted at work.
For more information relating to COVID-19, see SafeWork COVID-19 work health and safety (WHS) guidance for workplaces available at www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/covid-19-information-workplaces.
Information is available for 37 industries covering topics including WHS duties, risk assessments, physical distancing, cleaning, hygiene and mental health.