Injuries at work and workers compensation

Our goal is to take action and control hazards before injuries or illnesses occur but sometimes accidents happen. When this occurs, the University of Newcastle has a comprehensive Return to work Program to support injured workers while they recover.

Any correspondence from workers, legal representatives, service providers and Regulators in relation to claims for workers compensation should be sent to usafe@newcastle.edu.au

Report all injuries immediately!

If you are injured or ill at work it is important to follow the process below. This ensures the incident is properly reported and managed and support can be put in place for you quickly.

1. Call the Injury Hotline on 4033 9999 (x39999) and press 4

Use the Injury Hotline to report your injury or illness to a member of the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Team as soon as practicable. The Health, Safety and Wellbeing Team will explain the Injury Management Process and Workers Compensation process if applicable.

2. Tell your Supervisor

You need to notify your supervisor either verbally or via email that you have sustained a work related injury or illness.

3. Complete an Online Incident Report form

The Online Incident report form.

4. Seek medical attention where required.

If the injury needs treatment, seek medical attention and ensure you advise the treatment provider that it is a work related injury and get a SIRA Certificate of Capacity. This, and any referrals should be emailed to usafe@newcastle.edu.au as soon as possible. It is ok to email photographs taken with your phone if you don't have access to a scanner.

5. Return to Work Coordinator

The RTW Coordinator assists injured workers with Recovery at Work and is responsible for carrying out the day to day duties of the Return to Work Program. Sarah Williamson is the Return to Work Coordinator.

6. Suitable Duties

Supporting you to recover at work after injury is an important part of your treatment and rehabilitation. Staying active after injury helps you return to your usual activities at home and at work sooner. UON is committed to providing meaningful and appropriate suitable work for injured workers in accordance with Section 49 of the Workplace Injury Managment and Workers compensation Act 1988. Suitable work will be, so far as reasonably practicable, the same as, or equivalent to, your role at the time you sustained the injury or illness and can include things like your substantive role with restrictions, equipment to support you or graded hours while you recover.

Information about

Workers compensation

If you are injured or develop an illness through the course of your employment and your work is determined to be a substantial contributing factor, under the Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1998 and the Workers Compensation Regulation 2010 you may be eligible to receive workers compensation benefits.

UON has workers compensation insurance policies in all states and territories across Australia. Please see links below for coverage in the state or territory you predominatnely working in.

Eligibility for workers compensation?

Anyone who is a 'worker' or 'deemed worker' under the Act, is eligible to lodge a compensation claim. Lodging a claim does not imply any commitment to the acceptance of the claim or of liability. A 'worker' includes:

  • those who work for an employer under an oral or written contract of service or apprenticeship
  • 'deemed' workers
  • full-time, part-time or casual workers

Full definitions are available from iCare.

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