CORONAVIRUS (COVID 19) ARE YOU LIABLE AND WHAT IMPACT WILL IT HAVE?
Many of you have already been in contact with us to enquire as to whether or not an employee who contracts Coronavirus in the workplace could constitute a compensable claim?
The short answer is yes however whether or not the injury will be compensable will depend to a large extent on expert medical advice and proof that the virus was contracted during the course of employment, and that the employment was the main contributing factor to contracting the disease.
Proof that employment is the main contributing factor could be difficult to determine and each claim would need to be considered on its individual merits and evidence.
We advise all employers to take all appropriate preventative measures to eliminate the risk of contracting Covid-19 in the workplace, as with any other workplace health & safety risk.
Should you require any advice or assistance with preventative measures, and/or a Coronavirus claim lodged against you, please contact us immediately.
As to whether or not the cost of any compensable Covid-19 claim would have against premium, SIRA has announced that they are looking to mitigate the premium impact and are currently seeking feedback from insurers on proposed amendments to the Workers Compensation Market Practice and Premium Guidelines that would prevent costs associated with COVID-19 claims impacting individual employer premiums.
Rest assured, we are monitoring SIRA and are working closely with icare (NSW), relevant insurers and industry bodies to advocate there be no impact to any employer premiums as a result of any Covid-19 claim that may be lodged against you. We will keep you informed as soon as further information becomes available.
Remember also that during these ever-changing and uncertain times we are here for you and encourage you to reach out to us at any time for any workers compensation or non-insurance related matter if need be.
