Your weekly payments during COVID

I don’t want to go to the doctor because I am worried that I will catch COVID-19. How will this affect my weekly payments?

You need a certificate of capacity / certificate of fitness to receive income support. There are options available to extend the certificate period or attend a telehealth consultation. Refer to the section “Certificates of Capacity / Certificates of fitness”.

I had a work-related injury, and I was recovering at work, but my employer has closed down. Can I get my weekly payments?

If your employer is unable to provide suitable work and you are entitled to weekly payments, you will still receive them. You will need to have a current certificate of capacity / certificate of fitness to receive weekly payments. Talk to the insurer about your entitlement to weekly payments and how these will be paid.

You will continue to have injury management obligations and need to look for suitable work. Talk to your insurer about the support available to you including SIRA-funded programs.

I don’t want to go back to work because I am worried that I will catch COVID-19. How will this affect my weekly payments?

You are encouraged to contact the insurer and employer to discuss your concerns. The insurer will consider:

• the nature of your injury and your health more generally
• whether it is possible to work from home for a period
• advice from NSW Health about people travelling to certain places, or whether certain types of people (elderly, the young, immunocompromised) should restrict their travel.
• Speak with your employer about what they are doing to keep their workplace COVID-safe. SafeWork NSW provide information about the employer’s obligations to manage the risk of COVID-19.

You can also speak with your doctor about your COVID-19 vaccination options.

Can I access any of the Commonwealth and NSW Government COVID-19 financial supports if I’m receiving workers compensation weekly payments?

If you are entitled to receive workers compensation weekly payments, you will continue to receive these payments.

If you wish to access other financial support available from the Commonwealth or NSW Government, you will need to discuss your circumstances with the agency managing the support package. You will need to let the agency know that you receive workers compensation weekly payments so that they can better understand your circumstances.

Further information

If you were injured at work and are unable to resolve an issue with the insurer, you can contact the Independent Review Office (IRO) on 13 94 76 or via their online complaints form.