The Christmas – New Year holiday period is a busy time of the year. Public holidays & annual leave result in skeleton staff in the insurance companies, medical practice, etc which can subsequently prolong response times & efficiency of claim management services. Regrettably each year clients have workplace injuries & claims during this period which need special attention.
Holiday Season Injury Tips – So what do you do when you have a claim? Here are a few things to remember to make the process run smoother.
- You have 5 calendar days to lodge a claim without excess fees. This can be problematic with Christmas day, Boxing day and New Years day public holidays amongst weekends
- Provide as much information/paperwork you can at the beginning of the claim to prevent further delays
- Sustain communication with injured workers, monitoring their progress to ensure they continue to seek medical treatment over the holiday period as per recommendations to avoid any delays in recovery
- Note that Injuries sustained at Christmas parties are typically covered by Workers Compensation as they are considered as work events due to being funded, sponsored and promoted by the employer
It is important to note that all injuries sustained at a workplace function are typically under the scheme and therefore, businesses should take the time to critically evaluate the health and safety components of the function space/venue and create a strategy to minimise the risk of injury. In saying this, if an employee sustains an injury from wilful misconduct, the employer will not be liable and the employee will be responsible for costs associated.
Refer to The Silly Season – Have Fun and be COVID Safe! for more information on Work Health and Safety associated with the Festive Season and ways to keep your Christmas celebrations at low injury risk when alcohol is involved.
Source: Marsdens
Title: The Festive Season and Workers Compensation – Are you Covered?
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