The Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Scheme (sometimes called WorkCover) ensures that South Australian workers have access to professional health care, claims management and financial support in case of workplace injury.
Regardless of whether you are full-time, part-time or casual, if you are hurt at work you are entitled to rehabilitation and/or compensation to assist you to recover from the injury and support you in returning to work. You are also covered even if your employer hasn’t yet registered with WorkCover.
If you work for a self-insured employer, they will have their own claims manager and may have their own system for reporting injuries and workers compensation matters.
Eligibility
In order for a worker to be eligible to make a claim for workers compensation the injury or illness (physical or psychological) must have occurred as a direct result of their work. This includes diseases, disfigurements and the death of a worker.
While there are some exceptions, generally if you are a worker - defined under the legislation as someone who is in an employment relationship - you will be entitled to coverage under the Scheme.
This does not mean that if you make a claim for compensation it will automatically be accepted. All workers compensation claims are subject to scrutiny by our claims agent, Employers Mutual.
Please note that your claim for workers compensation won't be rejected because of the number of hours you work, your length of time with the company, or because you're a part-time or casual worker.
Example: Hurt at work
Mary travelled to work along a main road. There happened to be a post office on the road that she passed each morning on the way to work. She did not have go out of her way at all to pass it.
Mary's employer asked her to stop at the post office and collect the mail from the box on her way to work, saving a trip to collect the mail. Mary did this and was struck by another car as she was getting the mail. The employer said because Mary was merely travelling to work she should not be covered as she was not at work when the injury happened. Was Mary covered?
The Workers Compensation Tribunal considered the employer's claim that the purpose of Mary's journey was simply to travel to work by the shortest possible route, and that there was no real connection between her employment and the accident.
The Tribunal found that because she was required by her employer to collect the mail, there was a connection between the journey and the employment, therefore Mary was covered.
More information
For more information on who is covered view the FAQs, make an enquiry or contact our Service Centre on 13 18 55.