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• WorkCover Queensland - all what employers need to know

Who should be registered?

Workcover is a compulsory insurance that all employers must take out to protect their staff. Workcover compliance is governed by state law therefore each state has it’s own department and regulations.

In Queensland the organisation that manages WorkCover safety and workers' compensation services is WorkCover Queensland. Their website is easy to navigate and full of great information to help employers.

It is the employer’s responsibility to take out a workcover policy when they first employ staff. You will be fined if you are found not to have adequate cover in place.

Key Dates

• 1 July 2016: From this date, you can go online or call to declare your wages and pay your premium.
• 31 August 2016: wages declarations are due
• 16 September 2016: Declare your wages information by 31 August and pay your full premium by 16 September to receive a 3% discount on your premium (discount not applicable for premiums of $200)
• 30 September 2016: Due date for full premium payment and payment plan requests.

Renew you WorkCover policy by 31 August

Your accident insurance policy covers your business for the cost of any work-related injuries. To ensure you are covered for another year, you need to declare your wages information so that WorkCover can calculate your premium. See below

Login to online services - WorkCover online or call 1300 362 128

You will receive a reminder email (if you have signed up to this service) in late July

Reminder: It's time to renew your WorkCover policy - WCA#########

ACCIDENT INSURANCE POLICY

Policy name: #v#r# …...

Policy number: WCA#########

Account number: E000##########

Dear policyholder,

This is a courtesy reminder that your wages information for ############### is due by 31 August 2016.

To declare your wages information quickly and easily online, use the link below to automatically log in to WorkCover online services:

https://ols.workcoverqld.com.au/

You can access WorkCover online services at any time by visiting the website and logging in using either:

- Your policy number and account number

- Your WorkCover Connect account username and password.

You do not need to register for this service—simply log in using your policy number and account number. You can also renew your policy by calling WorkCover on 1300 362 128 to declare your wages.

What to declare

It's important to understand who you should cover for workers' compensation and what wages you need to declare. For example, you need to include superannuation and fringe benefits as wages, and some contractors may need to be covered. Use WorkCover Declaration of wages guide to help you determine what you need to declare.

Total amount paid, to or on account of, a worker

It includes:

• wages, salary or other earnings by way of money or
• entitlements having monetary value
• Overtime payments
• All superannuation payments (Compulsory Superannuation Guarantee Levy and any payments you make in addition to this)
• Salary sacrifice by your workers
• Allowances which are not reimbursement of workers expenses (e.g. shift allowance, higher duties, site allowance, height allowance)
• Any benefits having a monetary value (e.g. workers home garaging company car)
• Board and lodging (premises you provide to your workers)
• Payments to individual contractors deemed workers (excluding GST)

Does not include:

• allowances payable in relation to any travelling, car, removal, meal, education, living in the country or away from home, entertainment, clothing, tools and vehicle expenses
• lump sum payments on termination of a worker’s services for superannuation, accrued holidays, long service leave or any other purpose
• claims excess paid to the worker
• Weekly benefit compensation payments you have paid (and is reimbursed by WorkCover)
• Federal Government funded paid parental leave •
• Any Payments to directors, partners and trustees (you should have liability insurance and personal medical insurance if you are the owner of the business)

Who must I include:

• a person who works under a contract and, in relation to the work, is an employee for the purpose of assessment for PAYG withholding under the Taxation Administration Act 1953 (Cwlth), schedule 1, part 2-5’.
• Nb. Only an individual can be a worker

It helps to have you payroll software setup so that you can quickly pull a report to calculate the wages and payments to declare. This is something that aVers can help you with.

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