Australian workers have low levels of understanding of workers’ compensation and don’t get the information they need when they need it, according to an independent report commissioned by Safe Work Australia.
Releasing the report, Australian workers’ understanding of workers’ compensation systems and their communication preferences, Safe Work said it commissioned the Behaviour Change Collaborative to complete the research as part of its National Return to Work Strategy 2020-2030.
“Over 1,000 workers were surveyed, along with focus groups of workers,” Safe Work said.
“Information was also gathered from employer groups, regulators, insurers, unions, rehabilitation providers and medical practitioners.”
In its Report, the Behaviour Change Collaborative said workers generally felt uninformed about the workers’ compensation system.
“Generally, workers have low levels of understanding of workers’ compensation and do not get the information that they need when they need it,” the organisation said.
“A low understanding of workers’ compensation can limit how workers engage with, and the benefits derived from, workers’ compensation systems,” it said.
“However, the majority of workers surveyed do not actively seek information, as the survey reveals.”
The organisation said a surprisingly high proportion of people who had claimed workers’ compensation felt uninformed about the workers’ compensation system.
It said a lack of understanding, fear of negative employment consequences, perceptions of the complexity of the system, and distrust in employers all acted as barriers to accessing information on workers’ compensation and making a claim.
“For the most part, workers know what initial steps to take in the event of an injury or illness yet are unaware of the process past the initial step of reporting the injury to the employer,” it said.
“Negative perceptions of the difficulty of applying for workers’ compensation are compounded by the perceived stigma of ‘being on compo’ and fear of negative employment consequences.
The organisation said there was an immediate need for easier access to more and better national workers’ compensation information to cover essential general information and to reduce the stigma associated with workers’ compensation.
The Report made four recommendations, to develop a set of national communication principles, increase information accessibility, reduce barriers to engaging with workers’ compensation information, and evaluate the effectiveness of communication with workers.
The 92-page Independent Report can be accessed at this PS News link.
