Incentives for NSW businesses to employ workers with a work related injury or illness

The JobCover Placement Program provides incentives to employers in NSW to employ a worker who has a work related injury or illness and cannot return to their pre-injury employer.

Benefits include employer incentive payments up to $27,400 payable over up to 52 weeks, exemption of the worker’s wages from the employer’s workers compensation premium calculation for two years, and protection from costs associated with changes to the worker’s existing injury for up to two years.

Worker eligibility (explicit):

- At the time of program commencement, the worker is receiving, or is entitled to receive, weekly payments under the Workers Compensation Act 1987.

- The worker is unable to return to work with their pre-injury employer.

- A commutation or work injury damages settlement has not been accepted.

Employer eligibility (explicit):

- Be a different employer to the pre-injury employer.

- Hold a current workers compensation policy with an insurer or a self-insurer’s licence.

- Not be grouped with the pre-injury employer for workers compensation insurance or insured under the same group self-insurer licence as the pre-injury employer.

- Be able to offer employment to a worker for a minimum of 12 months.

- Provide a minimum of 64 paid hours per month or a return to the worker's pre-injury hours (fewer hours may be considered if it can be demonstrated the worker will progress to meet this requirement within a reasonable timeframe).

- The employer is not in receipt of any other wage subsidy for the worker.

- Demonstrate adherence to their jurisdiction’s workers compensation and workplace health and safety legislation.

Other explicit points: A Commonwealth or interstate employer is eligible for the program but is not eligible for the premium exemption. The worker and new employer’s eligibility should be confirmed and a JobCover placement program – agreement completed and signed by the worker, new employer and the insurer before the worker commences employment.