The removal of journey claims from workers compensation rules is fuelling confusion in public service ranks with employees and managers unsure exactly where coverage begins and ends.
A recent case in Victoria exposed one of the 'grey areas' created by the Governments recent cuts to the compensation scheme for Australian public servants.
Read more here and post your thoughts below.
4 comments:
I too, had an mishap on the way from work to my car after the changes to the Comcare legislation.
I was walking through the shopping centre where my car was parked on 18 April 2007 when I was directed down a travelator by a security guard as the 1st floor was closed due to construction work. Once on the travelator, I started to slide and took a step with my left foot to steady myself. I then slipped and twisted my left ankle and landed heavily on my right elbow.
My injuries, whilst not life threatening or permanent, are still serious and will take many months to heal. I have torn all the ligaments in my left ankle (diagnosed on 25 May 2007) and have to wear an ankle brace for three months whilst having continual physiotherapy and acupuncture. I also have a full thickness tear to two thirds of a tendon at the front of my right shoulder and a smaller tear to another tendon at the back of the same shoulder. I am still undergoing a course of cortisone injections, physio and acupuncture to encourage my shoulder to heal but so far, without success. If no improvement in the next 4 weeks, I will need to undergo surgery to repair the tendons in my shoulder and will require physio etc for a period of 9-12 months.
I came back to work 2 1/2 weeks after my accident and management have gone out of their way to assist me in any way that they can. I am still unable to undertake a number of my duties due to my injuries as I find it difficult to type and write, however, am getting a lot of practice typing left handed.
Should I require surgery, I will need to be off work for a minimum of 8 weeks and will have to use my long service leave for most of this period as I am running short of sick leave due to my daily appointments to doctors, physiotherapists, acupuncturists and for numerous tests, x-rays, injections under ultrasound, MRI scans etc, etc.
Whilst I have had to accept the governments decision to remove journey claims from the Comcare legislation, I am finding it difficult not to be resentful given my current circumstances. What a difference 5 days make!!!
I think work place should be responsible for any injury caused to and from work and within the work place as it is unfair for an employee to have to go thru this as bad luck and having no support from the employer, this results in anytime travelling to work and departing work .
Alot of support should be in hand and provided and full coverage for the employee who is suffering from the incident.
the last thing anyone wants is having to sit there in the surgery for hours waiting to be treated by a doctor, having to book appts , come back to work, deal with the problem which increases stress on the employee who is already suffering from an injury and less having to feel guilty about taking medical personal sick leave or not.
If anyone had a choice they'd prefer the injury didnt occur in the first place but its all part of the process they have to go to see the doctors etc etc.
I was recently injured on my way home from work - my first work related injury in over 20 years at work. I fell into an open manhole a block away from the office casued by a gas explosion and heve bruises and grazes. The doctor processed my medical bills as a workers comp claim on the basis that they had not been advised of the recent amendments. I am very concerned about the change to journey claims, the lack of general publicity and the erosion of rights.
I would like to express my option about the work safety on "Workplace Safety" does not cover on the way and back to home safety including tea breaks and lunch.
I don't agree with that - because we need to have safe work environment as we deal with compliance issues, other issues, debt, penalty and so on - Clients/Tax Agents do get upset about the legislation, procedure and policies. There might be a chance for them to take revenge on Tax Office Staffs not particularly aim at one person could heart randomly.
Therefore we need protection on the way to work and home as well as tea breaks and lunch breaks.
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