Workers insurance payments for your employees

You have an important role in maintaining contact with a worker receiving compensation and ensuring they continue getting paid.

You can choose to pay their weekly payments through your payroll and be reimbursed by the insurer, which is more likely to assist with their returning to work.

Alternatively, the insurer can pay them directly. Getting your employees back to work earlier can help their recovery and will lower your premiums.

Most employers are required to provide information to enable the insurer to calculate pre-injury average weekly earnings (PIAWE) to assist in working out how much compensation can be paid.

What the insurer will pay

Each situation is different and every employee will receive different levels and types of payments, such as weekly payments or a lump sum.

They may receive compensation that is based on their Pre-Injury Average Weekly Earnings (PIAWE).

This may be less than what they were earning before their injury.

Your role in paying an injured worker

The insurer will let you know what an injured worker’s PIAWE is and what entitlement period they’re in.

If you continue to pay their approved weekly payments, the insurer will reimburse you. If you’re currently paying a claims excess in addition, the insurer will deduct this from what you will be reimbursed.

If you choose not to pay weekly payments or the worker is no longer with your business, their case manager will organise to pay weekly payments directly to the worker, and you will be required to pay your claims excess to the insurer.

Calculating pre-injury average weekly earnings form

The PIAWE form is a tool used to provide the necessary earnings information to scheme agents to determine PIAWE.

There are two versions of the icare PIAWE form.

One is a dynamic PDF that should be used if you have all leave and pay information available.

It is shorter, and expands only when a question is answered a certain way, if it is relevant to your employee’s circumstances.

To assist in determining PIAWE, the insurer may also request supplementary documentation that may include copies of the worker’s pay slips, wage records, leave records, Fair Work Instrument, employment contract etc.