Oa No. 109 - Method Of Payment For Claimants Employed Outsidethe Commonwealth

COMCARE OPERATIONAL ADVICE NO. 109

METHOD OF PAYMENT FOR CLAIMANTS EMPLOYED OUTSIDETHE COMMONWEALTH

Branch Managers

State Managers

State Operations Managers

State Rehabilitation Managers

State Review Managers

State Executive Officers

Central Office Directors

The purpose of this advice is to clarify the information set out in Operational Advice No 101.  As a result Operational Advice No 101 has been withdrawn.

On occasions the situation arises where a claimant who is no longer employed by the Commonwealth lodges a claim for time off work due to an injury sustained whilst in Commonwealth employment.

Where it is necessary to make incapacity payments to claimants who are employed in the private sector, those payments will be made by the Direct Payments Team in Central Office.

This applies only to claimants that were employed by Agencies that have been taken over by the Direct Payments Team (i.e. all Departments whose employees are currently in receipt of pay directly from the Department of Finance ‑ `On Budget Agencies', and some `Off Budget Agencies').

For those claimants whose Agency has not been taken over by the Direct Payment Team (DIR Pay will advise of Agencies that have not been taken over), there will need to be close co‑operation between Agencies, State Offices and the Direct Payment Team to arrange payment of any incapacity as described above.

Payments will be made direct to the claimant and not to the new employer. In order for the claimant to preserve sick leave entitlements with their current employer, the claimant will need to either inform the employer that they should not be paid during the period of compensable incapacity or make arrangements with the current employer to reimburse salary paid for that period.

State Offices therefore need to ensure that the claimant is fully aware of Comcare's procedures for the payment of weekly compensation benefits in these circumstances.

The procedures for initiating incapacity payments to a claimant through the Direct Payments System are outlined in detail in the Direct Payments (Incapacity) Manual.

For any enquiries contact the Compensation Unit in Central Office on (06) 275 0081.

ROBERT KNAPP

Deputy Chief Executive Officer

27 June 1991