Thanks to @grathom (via Twitter) it has come to our attention that WorkCover NSW has printed a new, mighty shiny, glossy and misleading brochure! The brochure is called “Fixing the Workcover Scheme” and boasts faster recovery, better benefits, stronger economy. The pamphlet describes two [catastrophic] cases of “higher benefits” attributed to the new 20% “generous” impairment threshold’s “benefits”. How twisted! It really makes the new scheme look so rosy and wonderful!
Fixing the workcover NSW scheme – misleading glossy, rosy, new brochure
Example one
Severely injured employee A construction worker, aged 50, is very seriously injured with C4 tetraplegia [= total paralysis from neck down!] spinal cord injury (around 90 per cent WPI). His salary was $76,000 ($1,462 per week). Under the old scheme, (and at this rate of remuneration) he would have been entitled to $38,012 in benefits in the first 26 weeks at a rate of $1,462, and a further $393,575 in weekly benefits to retirement age (at $432 a week). The overall benefits would amount to an estimated $431,587. If this same injury occurred to a construction worker under the new scheme, he would be entitled to benefits of $18,055 in the first 13 weeks at a weekly rate of $1,388.90, followed by 117 weeks at $1,169.60 per week, and a further weekly payment of $1,169.60 until retirement.
Example two
less seriously injured and on benefits for over ten years (transitional)
A nurse, single and aged 35 and earning $80,000 ($1,538.46 wk), was seriously assaulted at work11 years ago, suffering multiple fractures and a brain injury.
Under the old scheme, she would have been entitled to $39,999 in benefits over the first 26 weeks (at $1,538 per week), followed by $432 per week until retirement if the injury prevented a return to work.
The overall benefits would amount to approximately $770,924.
Under the new scheme, her payments will increase to $725 pw until retirement, if the injury is assessed to be greater than 20 per cent WPI, and it is confirmed she is unable to return to work. Total benefits up to retirement would amount to up to $1.067 million. [Read the IF and IF it is confirmed that...]
View the rosy brochure in a scalable popup window.
Shortlink:http://wp.me/p1MA9G-2Vr
They forgot to mention that the nurse would be subjected to harassment and manipulated work assessments to make sure she does not get anything and of course she has no avenues of appeal against false assessments. Oh yes they can both forget about any legal action…
The old word ” if ” is mentioned a lot in this brochure.
The statement that the “seriously” injured person is one that has a “whole ” person impairment of more than “30%” is very interesting. Does that mean a person who suffers a hemiplegia at work from being severely harassed, bullied or under so much strain that they are not covered ?
According to the wording on this pamphlet they are not covered even though they are classified over 30% impairment.
Then we can have a case of a staff member having a heart attack at work through the same as above and during treatment they have a hemiplegic attack( this does happen ) is this classified as a whole body impairment ???
Oh and while these staff are in hospital recovering who fills out the forms, who informs the insurance company, who contacts the employer, who is to contact the case manager, who contacts the family and will the staff member fully recover.
There also is one serious issue that will arise is what happens if the staff member dies !!
One could only wonder what these rogue insurance company case managers come up with.
Will they come and interview the staff member in ICU or the ward?
Will they attempt to coerce the staff member to sign forms, whilst the staff member is unable to do so?
This of course has happened and knowingly will again .
A 30% whole body impairment eh !!
Will this apply to politicians and their own families, will this apply to insurance companies CEO’s and their families and finally the case managers, will this apply to them as well.
I don’t believe it will.
Thanks Barry .
They certainly do not mention that it is virtually impossible to obtain 20% total body impairment, eh…
As we said a lot of IFs and WOULDs or COULDs, and brain injury and TETRA plegia (= quadriplegia)
It won’t take long for the gloss to wear off and reality to set in. They’ve now left themselves wide open.
more propaganda john ; remember the catch-cry ( a fairer system for everyone) a system designed by politicians; doctors; lawyers; and businessmen . what a con job ; a political scam. ; this political fraud against working class people is all about (class distinction ) It pays doctors and lawyers. to act as gods over injured workers . bludging parasites .ill mannered pigs to milk the system dry , so that workers are reduced to slaves for the rich . wait till that idiot Abbott gets in the fun will start .
This glossy print has cost a possible 1 million dollars or more. Let me guess Barry will now cut even more of our entitlements to recover the printing costs. Let’s not forget This Glossy Liberal Fairy Tale will speed up recovery at Warp Speed!
Work Cover is now changing its name to:
Business & Insurance Cover.
Increasing Injuries to Help your Business GROW!
It should be titled “Fixing the injured workers under new workcover NSW scheme”.
Under this scheme, following main points are considered for the welfare of workers:
They do not require medical assistance unless they have 30% WPI.
God is great, he certainly would look after the workers injured less than 20% API.
Medical assistance would stop after five years maximum as we sincerely hope the worker would not survive that long.
They do not require legal assistance. This way, they can have an opportunity to develop their own legal skills.
They certainly would learn how to raise funds as they have to bear their own legal cost.
We cap their weekly benefits to $725 per week. This way less currency would go in the economy thus helping to control inflation.
Such wonderful points were missed in the previous legislation; therefore it was decided to extend these laws to all previous claims.
And many more…
And last but not least, if we found these injured workers aren’t fixed, we review the legislation again to explore new ways, how to fix them completely, once and for all.