Changes to employer excess

Recent amendments to the Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Regulation 2003 have changed the way Queensland’s employer excess is calculated, according to WorkCover Queensland.

The current excess amount is a flat rate of $500 or the weekly compensation rate minus $1 (whichever is less). The new amount will be calculated at 65% of Queensland full-time adult's ordinary time earnings (QOTE) rounded to the nearest $10.

The QOTE figure that will be used for the new excess calculation is yet to be released, but as a guide, the current QOTE figure is $1010.

QOTE is a seasonally adjusted amount, as declared by the Australian Statistician. This means that the excess amount will be adjusted annually to reflect changes in average earnings.

While QOTE is seasonally adjusted quarterly, WorkCover Queensland will set the excess amount annually using the March QOTE figure. The new excess amount will be announced in June 2008, after the QOTE figure is released. It will come into effect on 1 July 2008 and will apply to all injuries from 1 May 2008.

This means that claims that have a date of injury on or after 1 May 2008, that are accepted and paid after 1 July 2008, will have the new excess applied to them. For claims that are accepted and paid between 1 May 2008 and 1 July 2008, WorkCover Queensland will apply the current excess rate.

For more information, visit WorkCover Queensland’s website.