Table 3.6: Prescribed time periods for payments

  NSW Vic QldWASA Tas NTACT C’wealth Comcare C’wealth Seacare C’wealth DVA New Zealand 
Eligibility from Weekly payments payable from the first date of either total or partial incapacity for work resulting from the injury — s33, Workers Compensation Act 1987. Weekly payments payable from date of incapacity for work — s160Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2013.Assessment by medical practitioner, nurse practitioner or dentist — s141(1), Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003. From date of incapacity —s21 (weekly benefits). From date of injury — s18 (medical expenses), Workers’ Compensation and Injury Management Act 1981. From date of incapacity —s39(1), Return to Work Act 2014. 

Date of injury (for medical etc. expenses). 

Date of incapacity for weekly payments (or 14 days before claim was given to the employer, whichever is the later) — s81(3)(a), Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988. 

Date of Incapacity —s64, Return to Work Act 1986. Date of injury — s38(1)(b), Workers Compensation Act 1951. 

For injuries — date of injury 

For diseases the date employee first sought medical treatment, date of death or date of first incapacity or impairment — s7(4), Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 

Date of injury — s31, Seafarers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1992

s31(3) — Date seafarer left onshore or returned to home port. 

s10(4) — For diseases: the date employee first sought medical treatment, date of death or date of first incapacity or impairment 

MRCA s85, s1186 - Date of incapacity for work. 

DRCA s7(4) - The date of injury, the date on which the employee first sought medical treatment, date of death or date of first incapacity or impairment; whichever happens first. 

Date of incapacity —Schedule 1, Part 2, cl 32, Accident Compensation Act 2001. 
Payments begin Within 7 days of notification if provisional liability —s267(1), Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1998. Promptly when liability accepted by insurer —s74A(1), 1998 Act. Within 7 days of the claim for weekly payments being accepted - s178(3). 

Day of assessment — s141(1). 

Day after assessment day — s141(2). 

Not later than 14 days — s57A(7)Within 14 days of claim — s64(9)On first pay day following receipt of claim. If the first pay day is within 14 days of receipt of claim and it is not reasonably practicable to make payment on that day, payment must begin not less than 14 days from receipt of claim — s81(1) Within 3 working days from accepting liability — s85(2)From notification of injury — s38(1)(a)No time specified 

Within 30 days of date of determination of amount for injuries resulting in death or permanent impairment — s130

All others — no time specified. 

No time specified 

Employer must pay first week of compensation for loss of earnings — s98

The Corporation pays weekly compensation for loss of earning to claimant to who was an earner on and from the day after the first week of incapacity — Schedule 1, Part 2, s32

Employer passes on payments to injured worker As soon as practicable —s69(1)(c), 1998 Act and s264(3), 1998 Act. Max 7 days after end of week in which payments are due — s179(1)Excess to be paid within 10 business days after receiving notice from WorkCover — s66(5). As above. Subsequent payments on usual pay days As above No time specified From then on – before the expiration of 7 days after the end of the week in respect of which it is payable or, where the worker is normally paid at intervals greater than one week, before the expiration of 7 days after the end of the period in respect of which they are normally paid. — s88. Immediately — s126(3)No time specified No time specified Payments made directly to injured worker/claimant Payments made directly to Injured worker/ claimant
Medical invoices sent to insurer No time specified Within 6 months after the date of the service — s20(8)(c)2 months — s213(2). No time specified No time specified Within 7 days of employer receiving account — s76A(2)No time specified No time specified No time specified No time specified No time specified No time specified 
Medical expenses claimWithin 21 days of claim —s279(1) 1998 Act. Within 28 days — s75(2)No time specified No time specified No time specified No time specified No time specified No time specified No time specified No time specified No time specified No time specified 
Medical expenses paid No time specified No time specified No time specified — s210. No time specified No time specified 28 days — s77AA(1) and s77AB(2). As soon as practicable — s85(3)30 days of insurer receiving notice — s90(1)No time specified No time specified No time specified No time specified