Assistance Programs
The WISE program – WorkCover Incentive Scheme for Employers – assists workers who are work-ready, fit and motivated to return to work find employment where they do not have the option of returning to their pre-injury employer.
WISE eligibility requirements for workers
WISE remains available to workers while they receive weekly workers’ compensation benefits and they can work at least 15 hours per week.
Workers who are Directors/Board Members of their own company cannot access WISE for themselves or a relative. Similarly, WISE is not available for workers who return to work with labour hire companies, employment agencies or group training organisations.
There are circumstances where workers employed by a family member may access WISE. In these cases, the WorkSafe Agent must be satisfied that the business is financially viable and has been established at least 12 months prior to the WISE placement commencing.
Workers employed placed though WISE must have the same contractual arrangements as other workers employed within a workplace and be paid the appropriate salary for the type of the work being performed.
WISE Subsidy Payments for Employers
The Wage Subsidy payments are made direct to the WISE employers and as such these employers cannot redirect the Wage Subsidy to workers in lieu of salary or earnings for the work being performed.
Employers wishing to access WISE must be able to satisfy that they can provide a safe and healthy work environment and have a current WorkCover insurance policy.
Employers can receive up to $26,000 in Wage Subsidy depending on the number of hours worked. A WISE employer receives payment under these categories: Work Commencement, Wage Subsidy and Work Stability.
Work Commencement
The payment covers the first four weeks of the placement and is payable as a variable lump sum based on the hours to be worked:
|
$1,000 |
|
$1,500 |
|
$2,000 |
Wage Subsidy
These payments cover weeks 5 – 12 (eight weeks) and weeks 13 – 24 (twelve weeks) of the placement.
20 weeks are payable at 50% of the worker’s verified weekly gross earnings, excluding weekly compensation payments, to a maximum of $443 per week - Up to a maximum amount of $20,000.
Work Stability
These payments are made at weeks 45 and 52 as variable lump sums, based on the actual hours worked averaged over the preceding four weeks prior to payment being due.
|
$1,000 |
|
$1,500 |
|
$2,000 |
Employers access the Wage Subsidy by completing the Payment Request Booklet for the different payment categories. Completed payment requests are forwarded to the worker’s WorkSafe Agent for payment.
How does a WISE placement get approved?
The worker’s WorkSafe Agent and OR provider, if involved, should work closely together to ensure that the WISE employment is appropriate to the worker’s capacity for work. Prior to the worker commencing with the employer, a work site assessment should be undertaken by the OR provider at the new workplace.
The worker’s WorkSafe Agent approval must be gained prior to a WISE placement being finalised with an employer.
Support is available to workers and employers after a WISE placement commences. Workers should feel free to contact the WorkSafe Agent or the occupational rehabilitation (OR) provider who assisted with the placement to ensure things work out.
Who is liable if a worker is injured during a WISE placement?
In the event that the worker has a further injury during a WISE placement, the WISE employer’s WorkSafe Agent will determine whether this is a new injury or part of the original claim.
To make the determination, the WorkSafe Agent will seek medical opinion and consider whether the worker’s new employment had contributed to the current injury or condition.
Where the decision is made that the current injury or condition is a continuation of the original injury then any weekly compensation as well as medical and like service entitlement will be paid against the original injury.
This will involve the WISE employer communicating with the WorkSafe Agent who is responsible for managing the original claim. In many cases, the WISE employer may have a different WorkSafe Agent however, medical and like service accounts and certificates regarding the worker’s capacity for work should be directed to the WorkSafe Agent responsible for the original claim.
Where the current injury or condition is determined to be a new injury then the claim will be registered against the WISE employer. WISE offers premium protection by having all claims costs except the employer’s liability costs excluded for the purposes of premium calculation.
Employer liability costs are prescribed by the Accident Compensation Act, 1985 and this means the WISE employer is responsible for paying the worker for the first 10 days of no capacity for work and the first $564 of medical expenses (indexed annually).
The WISE employer should notify their WorkSafe Agent once they have paid these costs. Their WorkSafe Agent will be able to advise what they need to do to meet their obligations under the Accident Compensation Act, 1985 and ensure the new claim is managed appropriately.
Further information and assistance
To find out more about the opportunities offered by WISE, a worker can contact their WorkSafe Agent, occupational rehabilitation (OR) provider, or union.
Forms & Publications
- WISE brochure
- WISE - Employer Payment Request Book (sample only)
