Employers’ Rights – WorkCover claims questioned

Employers are sometimes faced with a situation where they disagree with a decision of WorkCover to accept a claim for statutory benefits made by one of their employees who allege that they have been injured during the course of their employment. The employer may disagree with the acceptance of the claim for a variety of reasons, including a belief that the claim is fraudulent or that the injury did not actually occur at work.

Many employers do not appreciate that they have a right to challenge such a decision. If an employer is unhappy with a decision made by WorkCover on a claim they can seek to have the decision reviewed by the Workers’ Compensation Regulator. Conversely, an employee whose claim is rejected can also seek a review of the decision.

The Workers’ Compensation Regulator is a body independent from WorkCover Queensland and is required to impartially review decisions made by WorkCover.

There is no cost involved in having a decision reviewed by the regulator, other than, of course, if the employer chooses to engage legal representatives to assist them with the review application.

Once WorkCover has made a decision on the claim the employer is entitled to ask for written reasons for the decision within 20 days of being notified of the decision.

WorkCover has five business days to supply the employer with the written reasons for the decision. The employer then has 3 months from the date of that letter to apply for a review with the regulator. The employer is entitled to provide the regulator with additional evidence it wishes to rely on in support of the review application.

The regulator has 25 business days to hand down a review decision unless an extension has been agreed upon. The employer has a “right of appearance” on the regulator during the review process, which can either be done in person or over the phone. It is not necessary to have legal representation during the review process.

If either party is unhappy with the ultimate decision of the regulator they can appeal the decision to the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission. The regulator will normally appoint legal representation to defend their decision in the Industrial Relations Commission. Should the worker appeal the review decision the employer needs to apply to the Commission for the right to be heard on the appeal.