To: Minister Danny Pearson
Protect Workcover for all Workers
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The Andrews Labor Government has proposed changes to WorkCover reduces eligibility for workers compensation and kicks people with long-term injuries off the scheme exposing them to potential harm.
If these changes get through, workers won't be able to claim weekly payments if they are unable to attend work due to stress from excessive workload or inappropriate behaviour, or due to mental injuries developing over time.
Workers with long-term injury and disability will also be kicked off WorkCover payments if they can't meet an arbitrary "20.1% Whole Person Impairment" test. The guides for this test are not designed for assessing work capacity. They do not factor in individual circumstances, such as transferable skills, language skills, age, place of work. The AMA Guides themselves say: “It must be emphasised and clearly understood that impairment percentages derived according to the Guides criteria should not be used to make direct financial awards or direct estimates of disabilities”.
If these changes get through, workers won't be able to claim weekly payments if they are unable to attend work due to stress from excessive workload or inappropriate behaviour, or due to mental injuries developing over time.
Workers with long-term injury and disability will also be kicked off WorkCover payments if they can't meet an arbitrary "20.1% Whole Person Impairment" test. The guides for this test are not designed for assessing work capacity. They do not factor in individual circumstances, such as transferable skills, language skills, age, place of work. The AMA Guides themselves say: “It must be emphasised and clearly understood that impairment percentages derived according to the Guides criteria should not be used to make direct financial awards or direct estimates of disabilities”.
Why is this important?
Why is this important?
These changes to WorkCover are designed to make it more difficult for injured workers to claim compensation, and that is unacceptable. The Government must listen to injured workers - not accountants - to make WorkCover work for everyone.
These changes to WorkCover are designed to make it more difficult for injured workers to claim compensation, and that is unacceptable. The Government must listen to injured workers - not accountants - to make WorkCover work for everyone.
How it will be delivered
This petition will be delivered electronically to the Minister's office.
