Weekly payments information

Information about receiving weekly payments after needing time off work.

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Weekly payments

WorkSafe can pay weekly payments while you recover from your injury and are unable to perform your pre-injury hours.

The Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2013 sets different rates for weekly payments which affect the amount you can be paid, and over what timeframe. For example, weekly payments are highest during the first 13 weeks (the first entitlement period). However many injured workers find that they can return to work well before this time.

If you're unable to work your pre-injury hours for a longer period of time, weekly payments can continue until the expiry of the second entitlement period (130 weeks).

From 31 March 2024, WorkSafe can continue to pay weekly payments after the end of the second entitlement period until retirement age if you have:

  • no capacity for any work and this is likely to continue indefinitely, and
  • if your claim reaches 130 weeks of weekly payments on or after 31 March 2024 – a permanent whole person impairment that has been assessed as being 21% or more

Weekly payments are usually based on the average of your ordinary earnings from the last 52 weeks before your injury. These are referred to as pre-injury average weekly earnings (PIAWE).

If you've been with your current employer for less than one year (52 weeks), your PIAWE is calculated based on the period of that employment. Periods of unpaid leave and periods when you didn’t work are not included in your PIAWE calculation.

In addition to weekly payments, you will be entitled to superannuation contributions on weekly payments if your date of injury is on or after 5 April 2010. These start from week 53 of weekly payments.

How your weekly payments are calculated

It depends on your current work capacity and will vary according to the amount of work you're able to return to. Your treating health practitioner will make recommendations on your capacity for pre-injury duties or suitable duties in sections 3 and 4 of your Certificate of Capacity form. Returning to suitable duties might involve doing different tasks with your original employer, or in suitable employment with a new employer.

If you aren't able to work (no current work capacity)

Your weekly payments will be paid at the following rates:

If you can do some work (some current work capacity)

Your weekly payments will be paid at the following rates:

Retirement age

The Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2013 (WIRC Act) has been changed to reflect the new eligibility age for the aged pension.

From 1 July 2017 eligibility for the aged pension is as follows:

Date of birth
New retirement age

1 July 1952 to 31 Dec 1953

65 years + 6 months

1 Jan 1954 to 30 June 1955

66 years

1 July 1955 to 31 Dec 1956

66 years + 6 months

From 1 January 1957 onwards

67 years

What this means for you

You might be eligible (subject to other requirements) to receive weekly payments and superannuation contributions on your weekly payments until you reach retirement age.

For information about aged pension payment rates and eligibility, please refer to the Australian Government Department of Human Services.

* The statutory maximum applies to claims made on or after 5 April 2010. As at 1 July 2023, the statutory maximum is $2,660, indexed annually.

** Correct as at 1 July 2023, indexed annually.

In exceptional circumstances, WorkSafe can deduct an amount that the worker would have been capable of earning if they had returned to work.

For calculation of weekly payments for a claim received before 5 April 2010, contact your WorkSafe agent or WorkSafe's advisory service.

WorkSafe Advisory Service

WorkSafe's advisory service is available between 7:30am and 6:30pm Monday to Friday. If you need more support, you can also contact WorkSafe using the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) or the National Relay Service.

1800 136 089 More contact options