Workers’ Compensation

What is covered?
Injured people image surrounded by health professionals.

Workers’ compensation Cover is provided to those WA Government agencies that contribute to the RiskCover Fund. Cover is provided for compensation payable to employees of those agencies who are injured at work.

Generally, the Workers’ Compensation and Injury Management Act 1981 provides for compensation to be paid to injured workers for weekly payments lost during periods of and degrees of unfitness for work, and the reasonable cost of medical related expenses incurred such as:

  • Visits to medical practitioners and specialists.
  • Treatment and accommodation at a hospital as prescribed by a medical practitioner;
  • Emergency transport from an accident scene to the hospital, and where required, from one hospital to another.
  • Therapy services such as physiotherapy, chiropractic, podiatry, hydrotherapy, osteopathy, occupational therapy and psychology.
  • Pathology, radiology and imaging services required to diagnose and manage injuries.
  • Medicine prescribed by a medical practitioner and provided by a pharmacist.
  • Teeth to be restored if they were damaged in a work related accident.
  • Hire or purchase of equipment that a medical practitioner recommends for injury management, such as a wheelchair and crutches.
  • Reasonable costs associated with travelling to and from appointments.

WorkCover WA sets out the fees for treatment provided by allied health providers. We will generally only pay medical accounts up to the medical and allied health provider rates set by WorkCover WA. If a provider charges more than this rate, claimants may be responsible for the extra portion of the account (the ‘gap’).

Please see our Product Disclosure Statement and our frequently asked questions for more information on workers’ compensation cover. To lodge a workers’ compensation claim, visit the Make a Claim page.

General practicioner and medical specialists

Hospital expenses

Ambulance services

Allied Health Services

Medical Investigations

Injury Management

Injury management benefits the employee and the agency.  Early and active management of the injury will assist the return of the employee to work sooner, reducing costs and increasing efficiencies.

Injury management commences following the incident and involves a number of stages, including first aid, initial medical treatment and return to work activities.

It includes making reasonable adjustments, modifying the workplace, providing aids and appliances, or accommodating suitable or alternate duties. The employee, the employer and the treating medical practitioner must work together through the stages of injury management.

The employer must prepare a suitable return to work program based on the advice of the medical practitioner.  It is important that you keep us updated on return to work programs for all workers' compensation claims.  

In some circumstances assistance from an approved workplace rehabilitation provider is necessary. They provide assistance to employees to remain in or return to suitable work. Services include case management, work site assessment, vocational assessment and job placement and functional capacity evaluation. Specific services can also be provided.

Page Last Updated 28 Aug 2020