How does injury compensation work for Australian police?
Being hurt at work is hard enough without trying to decode a compensation system at the same time. The good news is that, in most forces, the system is built to keep paying you and to pay for your treatment while you recover. The harder news is that the rules differ a lot between states, and police are treated differently from other workers in several of them.
There is no single national police scheme. Each state and territory runs its own workers compensation law, and the Commonwealth runs Comcare for its own employees, which includes the AFP. On top of the statutory scheme, most police agreements or insurance schemes add something: make-up pay, a top-up, or an allowance that keeps being paid while you are off.
Separate schemes
8
one per jurisdiction; AFP and ACT Policing use Comcare
NSW police psych claims, 2023-24
1,208
Audit Office of NSW, June 2025
NSW medical separations that are psychological
93%
Audit Office of NSW, June 2025
The Audit Office of NSW found that 51% of officers who leave the NSW Police Force do so for medical reasons, and 93% of those medical separations are psychological. That is one force, but it shows why the rules on psychological injury matter so much to police in particular.
If you're reading this because you're struggling
If you are struggling right now, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 (24/7) or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636. In an emergency, call 000. Fortem Australia supports current and former first responders and their families on 1300 33 95 94 (business hours), and 13YARN is on 13 92 76 (24/7) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Which scheme covers you in each force?
The table below shows the law that applies, who manages claims and the police-specific twist in each jurisdiction. Click through to your force's page for the full detail, the step-by-step claim process and local support services.
- Law
- Workers Compensation Act 1987 and Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1998
- Claims managed by
- Claims managed by EML
- Police-specific point
- Officers in the Police Superannuation Scheme (joined before 1 April 1988) are not 'workers'; everyone else is an 'exempt worker' outside the 2012 reforms
- Law
- Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2013
- Claims managed by
- WorkSafe Victoria (Victoria Police is not a self-insurer)
- Police-specific point
- Agreement adds accident make-up pay (EA 2025 cl 77)
- Law
- Workers' Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003
- Claims managed by
- WorkCover Queensland (reported; QPS's insurer status not confirmed by us)
- Police-specific point
- PTSD presumption covers police officers and recruits (s 36ED)
- Law
- Police Act 1892 and Police Force Regulations 1979
- Claims managed by
- WA Police Force
- Police-specific point
- Police are not 'workers' under the 2023 workers comp Act unless they die from the injury (Regs 2024, reg 16(2))
- Law
- Return to Work Act 2014
- Claims managed by
- Crown agencies are treated as self-insured
- Police-specific point
- No PTSD presumption in the 2025 national comparison
- Law
- Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988
- Claims managed by
- Crown employer
- Police-specific point
- Police deemed in the service of the Crown (s 4(2)); PTSD presumption s 28A
- Law
- Return to Work Act 1986
- Claims managed by
- Territory is the employer
- Police-specific point
- PTSD presumption for first responders in the Regulations; Consent Agreement keeps normal weekly earnings for 12 months
- Law
- Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 (Cth)
- Claims managed by
- Comcare
- Police-specific point
- PTSD presumption for AFP employees (s 7(11)-(14))
| Force | Law | Claims managed by | Police-specific point |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW Police | Workers Compensation Act 1987 and Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1998 | Claims managed by EML | Officers in the Police Superannuation Scheme (joined before 1 April 1988) are not 'workers'; everyone else is an 'exempt worker' outside the 2012 reforms |
| Victoria Police | Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2013 | WorkSafe Victoria (Victoria Police is not a self-insurer) | Agreement adds accident make-up pay (EA 2025 cl 77) |
| QPS | Workers' Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003 | WorkCover Queensland (reported; QPS's insurer status not confirmed by us) | PTSD presumption covers police officers and recruits (s 36ED) |
| WA Police | Police Act 1892 and Police Force Regulations 1979 | WA Police Force | Police are not 'workers' under the 2023 workers comp Act unless they die from the injury (Regs 2024, reg 16(2)) |
| SAPOL | Return to Work Act 2014 | Crown agencies are treated as self-insured | No PTSD presumption in the 2025 national comparison |
| Tasmania Police | Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 | Crown employer | Police deemed in the service of the Crown (s 4(2)); PTSD presumption s 28A |
| NT Police | Return to Work Act 1986 | Territory is the employer | PTSD presumption for first responders in the Regulations; Consent Agreement keeps normal weekly earnings for 12 months |
| AFP and ACT Policing | Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 (Cth) | Comcare | PTSD presumption for AFP employees (s 7(11)-(14)) |
From legislation and official scheme pages read on 9 October 2026. Who insures or manages claims for some forces is not published; where we could not confirm it, the table says so.
Two forces stand apart. In WA, police are outside the workers comp system altogether. In NSW, police are inside it but on older, more generous rules than most workers, because the 2012 and 2026 reforms were written not to apply to them. Every other force follows its state's general scheme, with police top-ups added by agreement.
Who is and isn't covered by workers comp?
Before anything else, it helps to know which system you are in. For most officers the answer is simple: you are a worker under your state's Act. But three groups are different, and getting this wrong can mean filling in the wrong forms or waiting for payments that will never come.
NSW officers who joined before 1 April 1988
The NSW 1998 Act's definition of "worker" excludes a member of the NSW Police Force who contributes to the Police Superannuation Fund. That fund closed to new members on 1 April 1988. These officers are covered by "hurt on duty" provisions in the Police Regulation (Superannuation) Act 1906 instead, including a hurt-on-duty pension (72.75% of salary in our data). They are not covered by EPSS.
Every WA police officer
WA's Workers Compensation and Injury Management Act 2023 lets regulations exclude classes of people. Regulation 16(2) of the 2024 Regulations says a police officer or Aboriginal police liaison officer "is not a worker" unless they die as a result of the injury. Serving officers rely on the Police Force Regulations 1979 and the medical retirement compensation scheme instead, covered in full on the WA Police workers comp page.
Recruits and students
Recruits are usually covered, but not always on the same terms. Queensland's PTSD presumption expressly covers police recruits. Victoria Police recruits get only 52 weeks of make-up pay rather than 104. NSW students of policing are outside EPSS, and the NSW Police Act has a separate special risk benefit for a student hurt during police education and certified totally and permanently incapacitated.
Not sure which group you're in?
Your payslip and super statement are the quickest check. If you are in NSW and contribute to the Police Superannuation Scheme (PSS), you are on the hurt-on-duty system. If in doubt, your police association can confirm it in one phone call.
How much do weekly payments pay, and for how long?
Weekly payments, also called income support or incapacity payments, replace your wages while you can't work or can only work reduced hours. Every scheme starts higher and then steps down over time. What counts as your pre-injury earnings also differs: some schemes include overtime and shift allowances, some use your award rate.
NSW (exempt workers)
- Early period
- Weeks 1-26 totally unfit: 100% of current weekly wage rate for award employees
- Later period
- From week 27: the lesser of the statutory rate and 90% of average weekly earnings. EPSS tops up (see below)
- Rule
- icare, weekly payments for exempt workers
Victoria
- Early period
- Weeks 1-13: 95% of pre-injury average weekly earnings (PIAWE), to a maximum of $3,000 a week
- Later period
- Weeks 14-130: 80% of PIAWE. After 130 weeks only with no work capacity likely to continue indefinitely and 21%+ impairment
- Rule
- WorkSafe Victoria
Queensland
- Early period
- Weeks 1-26: the greater of 85% of normal weekly earnings (NWE) or the amount payable under your industrial instrument
- Later period
- 26 weeks to 2 years: the greater of 75% of NWE or 70% of QOTE ($1,396.15). Years 2-5 depend on impairment over 15%
- Rule
- Act s 150
WA
- Early period
- No workers comp weekly payments for police. Paid illness or injury leave the Commissioner may grant, up to 168 days a calendar year, extendable
- Later period
- Lump-sum compensation only if medically retired for a work-related condition
- Rule
- Police Force Regulations reg 1304
SA
- Early period
- Weeks 1-52: 100% of average weekly earnings
- Later period
- Weeks 53-104: 80%, then payments end unless 'seriously injured'
- Rule
- ReturnToWorkSA
Tasmania
- Early period
- Weeks 1-26: 100%
- Later period
- Weeks 27-78: 90%, then 80% (95% and 85% if no suitable duties are offered)
- Rule
- Act s 69B
NT
- Early period
- Weeks 1-26: normal weekly earnings less anything you earn
- Later period
- After 26 weeks: the lesser of 75% of loss of earning capacity or 150% of AWE ($2,890.50); ends at 260 weeks unless 15%+ impairment
- Rule
- Act ss 64-65
AFP
- Early period
- Full normal weekly earnings until hours lost exceed 45 weeks' worth
- Later period
- Then 75% if not working, rising to 80-95% the more hours you work
- Rule
- SRC Act s 19
| Jurisdiction | Early period | Later period | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW (exempt workers) | Weeks 1-26 totally unfit: 100% of current weekly wage rate for award employees | From week 27: the lesser of the statutory rate and 90% of average weekly earnings. EPSS tops up (see below) | icare, weekly payments for exempt workers |
| Victoria | Weeks 1-13: 95% of pre-injury average weekly earnings (PIAWE), to a maximum of $3,000 a week | Weeks 14-130: 80% of PIAWE. After 130 weeks only with no work capacity likely to continue indefinitely and 21%+ impairment | WorkSafe Victoria |
| Queensland | Weeks 1-26: the greater of 85% of normal weekly earnings (NWE) or the amount payable under your industrial instrument | 26 weeks to 2 years: the greater of 75% of NWE or 70% of QOTE ($1,396.15). Years 2-5 depend on impairment over 15% | Act s 150 |
| WA | No workers comp weekly payments for police. Paid illness or injury leave the Commissioner may grant, up to 168 days a calendar year, extendable | Lump-sum compensation only if medically retired for a work-related condition | Police Force Regulations reg 1304 |
| SA | Weeks 1-52: 100% of average weekly earnings | Weeks 53-104: 80%, then payments end unless 'seriously injured' | ReturnToWorkSA |
| Tasmania | Weeks 1-26: 100% | Weeks 27-78: 90%, then 80% (95% and 85% if no suitable duties are offered) | Act s 69B |
| NT | Weeks 1-26: normal weekly earnings less anything you earn | After 26 weeks: the lesser of 75% of loss of earning capacity or 150% of AWE ($2,890.50); ends at 260 weeks unless 15%+ impairment | Act ss 64-65 |
| AFP | Full normal weekly earnings until hours lost exceed 45 weeks' worth | Then 75% if not working, rising to 80-95% the more hours you work | SRC Act s 19 |
Victoria's maximum is the statutory maximum at 1 July 2026. Queensland's 70% of QOTE is calculated by us from the QOTE of $1,994.50 from 1 July 2026. The NT cap is calculated by us as 150% of the 2026 AWE of $1,927.00.
The headline percentages hide important detail. In NSW, the 95% and 80% PIAWE step-downs most workers know about do not apply to police: they came in with the 2012 reforms, which Schedule 6 of the 1987 Act says do not apply to police officers. Police use the older exempt-worker rules instead.
In the AFP, the 45 weeks of full pay are counted in hours lost, not calendar weeks. If you go back part-time, the full rate lasts longer than 45 calendar weeks. In Tasmania, there is no step-down in any week you work at least half your normal hours under an approved return-to-work plan.
What will a reduced weekly payment mean for your budget?
Enter your force and pay point to see your take-home pay now. Then compare it with 80% or 75% of your earnings to plan for a step-down before it arrives.
What extra do police get on top of workers comp?
Police agreements and schemes often fill the gap between the statutory weekly payment and your normal pay. These top-ups are where police are noticeably better off than most other workers, and they are easy to miss if you only read the general scheme information.
NSW
- Top-up
- Enhanced Police Support Scheme (EPSS), from 1 October 2024
- What it pays
- Top-up of workers comp to up to 100% of salary for months 0-9, then up to 75% for up to 7 years, plus up to 3 more years in catastrophic or exceptional cases. Officers contribute 1.8% of salary (0.88% for SASS/ABC officers). No TPD lump sum. Not for pre-1988 officers or students.
Victoria
- Top-up
- Accident make-up pay, EA 2025 cl 77
- What it pays
- Make-up to full pay (ordinary pay plus ordinarily payable allowances) for the first 52 weeks, then to 90% from week 53 to 104 (recruits 52 weeks only). Stops when an ESS disability benefit starts.
Queensland
- Top-up
- Operational Shift Allowance, CA cl 43.4
- What it pays
- OSA keeps being paid during workers compensation leave (per our data file; we could not re-open the 2025 agreement to confirm the clause).
NT
- Top-up
- Consent Agreement cl 46
- What it pays
- The Commissioner maintains normal weekly earnings for 12 months, or longer case by case, and leave keeps accruing.
WA
- Top-up
- Police Force Regulations reg 1304(2)
- What it pays
- Special allowances continue during approved illness or injury leave unless the incapacity is your own fault; district allowance stops after 6 weeks away.
| Force | Top-up | What it pays |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | Enhanced Police Support Scheme (EPSS), from 1 October 2024 | Top-up of workers comp to up to 100% of salary for months 0-9, then up to 75% for up to 7 years, plus up to 3 more years in catastrophic or exceptional cases. Officers contribute 1.8% of salary (0.88% for SASS/ABC officers). No TPD lump sum. Not for pre-1988 officers or students. |
| Victoria | Accident make-up pay, EA 2025 cl 77 | Make-up to full pay (ordinary pay plus ordinarily payable allowances) for the first 52 weeks, then to 90% from week 53 to 104 (recruits 52 weeks only). Stops when an ESS disability benefit starts. |
| Queensland | Operational Shift Allowance, CA cl 43.4 | OSA keeps being paid during workers compensation leave (per our data file; we could not re-open the 2025 agreement to confirm the clause). |
| NT | Consent Agreement cl 46 | The Commissioner maintains normal weekly earnings for 12 months, or longer case by case, and leave keeps accruing. |
| WA | Police Force Regulations reg 1304(2) | Special allowances continue during approved illness or injury leave unless the incapacity is your own fault; district allowance stops after 6 weeks away. |
From each force's instrument or scheme document as recorded in our data files and checked on 9 October 2026. Tasmania, SA and AFP top-ups were not found in the sources we read; ask your association.
The end of Police Blue Ribbon in NSW
Until 30 September 2024, NSW officers were covered by Police Blue Ribbon Insurance, which included a TPD lump sum. From 1 October 2024 the government-owned Enhanced Police Support Scheme replaced it, as part of the 2024 pay deal. EPSS pays longer income top-ups but has no TPD lump sum. If your injury happened before 1 October 2024, ask PANSW or the EPSS hotline (1800 014 140) which scheme applies to you.
The statutory scheme is the floor. In most forces your agreement or police scheme lifts you well above it, so always ask what top-ups apply.
Are your medical and treatment costs covered?
Yes, in every jurisdiction, but the limits differ. Reasonable treatment for an accepted work injury is paid by the scheme: doctors, specialists, psychology, physiotherapy, hospital, medication and travel. You should not have to pay and claim back for accepted treatment, although in practice some providers ask you to pay upfront.
How long treatment is paid for
- ✓ NSW police: the 2012 time limits on medical costs do not apply. From 1 October 2026 a 'reasonable and necessary' test applies to police (icare reform FAQs).
- ✓ Victoria: generally until 52 weeks after weekly payments end, with exceptions such as surgery or services needed to stay at work.
- ✓ WA: the Commissioner 'shall pay' reasonable medical and hospital expenses for work-related injury or illness (reg 1306). Former officers can claim through the Insurance Commission of WA.
- ✓ SA: up to one year after income support ends, or for life if seriously injured.
- ✓ Victoria, mental injury: provisional payments cover up to 13 weeks of treatment while a claim is decided, even if it is later rejected.
- ✓ Everywhere: keep every receipt, referral and certificate, and get approval before expensive treatment.
Ongoing treatment after you leave the police is a big issue for officers with long-term injuries. WA's Former Officers' Medical Benefits Scheme, run by the Insurance Commission of WA, covers reasonable medical and health expenses from an injury suffered while serving, up to a capped amount. In other states, your accepted claim usually keeps paying for treatment after you leave, within the scheme's limits.
How are PTSD and psychological injuries treated?
Psychological injury is now the biggest cost in police workers comp, and the rules are where the states differ most. Some have made it easier for police to claim through a presumption, while others have tightened the rules for all workers in the last two years.
What a presumption does
A presumption flips the burden of proof. Normally you have to show your work caused or contributed to your PTSD. With a presumption, once a qualified practitioner diagnoses PTSD, it is taken to be work-related unless the insurer proves otherwise. For a police officer exposed to many traumatic events over years, that can be the difference between a quick acceptance and a long fight.
Queensland
- PTSD presumption for police?
- Yes
- Who it covers
- Police officers and police recruits
- Detail
- Psychiatrist diagnosis under DSM-5; rebuttable (Act s 36ED, from 2021)
Tasmania
- PTSD presumption for police?
- Yes
- Who it covers
- All public sector workers, which includes police
- Detail
- Employment taken to have contributed substantially unless evidence shows otherwise (s 28A, from 4 June 2019)
NT
- PTSD presumption for police?
- Yes
- Who it covers
- First responders including police officers, who attended an emergency in person
- Detail
- Return to Work Regulations, Schedule 2 item 9A
AFP and ACT Policing
- PTSD presumption for police?
- Yes
- Who it covers
- Every AFP employee
- Detail
- Diagnosis by a medical practitioner or psychologist under DSM-5-TR (SRC Act s 7(11)-(14), injuries from 15 December 2023)
WA
- PTSD presumption for police?
- Not for police
- Who it covers
- Paramedics, ambulance and communications officers, firefighters and DFES staff only
- Detail
- Regs 2024 reg 10; police are outside the scheme anyway
NSW
- PTSD presumption for police?
- No
- Who it covers
- n/a
- Detail
- NSW's listed presumption is for COVID-19, not PTSD
Victoria
- PTSD presumption for police?
- No
- Who it covers
- n/a
- Detail
- WorkSafe's presumptive rights cover specified cancers in firefighters only
SA
- PTSD presumption for police?
- No
- Who it covers
- n/a
- Detail
- A 2023 private member's bill passed the upper house in 2024; we found no evidence it became law
| Jurisdiction | PTSD presumption for police? | Who it covers | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Queensland | Yes | Police officers and police recruits | Psychiatrist diagnosis under DSM-5; rebuttable (Act s 36ED, from 2021) |
| Tasmania | Yes | All public sector workers, which includes police | Employment taken to have contributed substantially unless evidence shows otherwise (s 28A, from 4 June 2019) |
| NT | Yes | First responders including police officers, who attended an emergency in person | Return to Work Regulations, Schedule 2 item 9A |
| AFP and ACT Policing | Yes | Every AFP employee | Diagnosis by a medical practitioner or psychologist under DSM-5-TR (SRC Act s 7(11)-(14), injuries from 15 December 2023) |
| WA | Not for police | Paramedics, ambulance and communications officers, firefighters and DFES staff only | Regs 2024 reg 10; police are outside the scheme anyway |
| NSW | No | n/a | NSW's listed presumption is for COVID-19, not PTSD |
| Victoria | No | n/a | WorkSafe's presumptive rights cover specified cancers in firefighters only |
| SA | No | n/a | A 2023 private member's bill passed the upper house in 2024; we found no evidence it became law |
From each Act or regulation and Safe Work Australia's 2025 comparison (Table 4.15). The 2025 table may predate 2026 changes, so check with your association before relying on it.
Recent tightening in NSW and Victoria
Victoria's 2024 reforms, from 31 March 2024, narrowed mental injury claims for all workers. Stress or burnout from usual or typical work events is excluded. But stress or burnout caused by traumatic events that are a usual part of the job stays compensable, and WorkSafe's own claims manual uses first responders as the example.
NSW raised the psychological impairment thresholds for most workers from 1 July 2026. Those changes do not apply to police, who are "exempt workers" under the 2026 Act's transitional provisions. The main change for NSW police is the reasonable and necessary test for medical costs from 1 October 2026.
Support while you claim
If you are struggling right now, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 (24/7) or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636. In an emergency, call 000. Fortem Australia supports current and former first responders and their families on 1300 33 95 94 (business hours), and 13YARN is on 13 92 76 (24/7) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Our PTSD and mental health support guide lists the police psychology, peer support and employee assistance services in every force.
Can you get a lump sum for permanent injury?
If your injury leaves a permanent impairment, most schemes pay a lump sum on top of weekly payments. The impairment is assessed as a whole person impairment (WPI) percentage once the injury has stabilised, usually at least 12 months after it happened. Psychological injuries almost always need a higher percentage than physical ones.
NSW police
- Lump sum threshold
- Psychological: at least 15% WPI (1987 Act s 65A)
- Notes
- Physical thresholds for exempt workers differ from the 10% that applies to other workers; confirm with the IRO
Victoria
- Lump sum threshold
- Physical: 10% WPI. Psychiatric: 30% WPI
- Notes
- 2026-27 maximum $783,000; minimum payment $26,530
Queensland
- Lump sum threshold
- Any degree of permanent impairment, set by regulation
- Notes
- Extra lump sums at 30%+ or 15%+ with care needs do not apply to psychiatric injury
WA police
- Lump sum threshold
- Only on medical retirement for a work-related condition
- Notes
- Capped at the General Maximum Amount, $284,448 for 2026-27
AFP
- Lump sum threshold
- 10% WPI (lower for hearing loss and fingers or toes)
- Notes
- Plus a non-economic loss payment (SRC Act s 27)
| Jurisdiction | Lump sum threshold | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| NSW police | Psychological: at least 15% WPI (1987 Act s 65A) | Physical thresholds for exempt workers differ from the 10% that applies to other workers; confirm with the IRO |
| Victoria | Physical: 10% WPI. Psychiatric: 30% WPI | 2026-27 maximum $783,000; minimum payment $26,530 |
| Queensland | Any degree of permanent impairment, set by regulation | Extra lump sums at 30%+ or 15%+ with care needs do not apply to psychiatric injury |
| WA police | Only on medical retirement for a work-related condition | Capped at the General Maximum Amount, $284,448 for 2026-27 |
| AFP | 10% WPI (lower for hearing loss and fingers or toes) | Plus a non-economic loss payment (SRC Act s 27) |
SA, Tasmania and the NT pay impairment lump sums under their own Acts; see the force pages. Victoria amounts from WorkSafe's 2026-27 indexation table.
Separate from the statutory lump sum, some schemes let you sue for common law damages if someone's negligence caused a serious injury. The thresholds are high: in Victoria, 30% or more combined impairment is deemed serious, and in Queensland the choice between a lump sum and damages becomes irrevocable below 20%. Always get legal advice through your association before accepting any lump sum.
How do you make a workers comp claim?
The details differ by force, but the steps are similar everywhere. Starting early protects your rights. Even if you hope to recover quickly, report the injury, because a minor strain or a rough job can turn into something bigger months later.
- 1
Report it at work
Same shift if possibleTell your supervisor and record the injury or incident in your force's system as soon as you can, even if you keep working. For psychological injury, record the incidents you attended where you can.
- 2
See a doctor and get a certificate
Within daysYour GP or treating doctor issues a certificate of capacity (or the equivalent form) saying what you can and can't do. In Queensland, a PTSD presumption needs a psychiatrist's diagnosis; the insurer must arrange one if you don't have one.
- 3
Lodge the claim form
Don't waitEach scheme has its own form: WorkSafe Victoria's Worker's injury claim form, WorkCover Queensland's claim, or your force's process in NSW. Queensland requires a claim within 6 months of the entitlement arising.
- 4
Call your association
Before you signMost associations have a workers comp or legal team. They can check the claim before it goes in and explain the police top-ups.
- 5
Keep records
OngoingKeep copies of every certificate, letter, receipt and phone call note. Ask for reasons in writing if anything is refused.
WA is different: there is no workers comp claim for serving officers. You report your incapacity to your officer in charge and the Health and Welfare manager, provide a medical certificate, and apply for injury leave and payment of medical expenses under the Police Force Regulations.
What happens when you're ready to go back?
Every scheme expects you and your employer to work towards a safe return, often through a graduated plan with restricted or alternative duties. Police forces are large employers with a wide range of non-operational roles, which can make a return easier than in a small workplace.
What a good return-to-work plan gives you
- ✓Duties matched to your certificate, reviewed as you recover
- ✓Pay protected: AFP payments rise as your hours rise, and Tasmania doesn't step down if you work half your hours
- ✓Time for treatment built into your roster
- ✓A named contact in your force's injury management or rehabilitation team
Watch out for
- ✕Duties that drift beyond your certificate
- ✕Step-downs: returning part-time can change which rate applies
- ✕Losing allowances on restricted duties; check what your agreement keeps paying
- ✕Pressure to sign a plan before your doctor has seen it
If your force cannot offer duties that suit your capacity, that affects your payments. In Tasmania, the 90% and 80% rates rise to 95% and 85% when suitable alternative duties are not provided. In the NT, the Police Administration Act requires the Commissioner to take reasonable steps such as alternative duties before considering invalidity retirement.
What if you can't go back to policing?
Some injuries mean you can't return to operational policing, or to the police at all. That raises a different set of questions: medical retirement, your super, any TPD or income protection cover, and how they interact with your workers comp claim. Each force handles medical retirement through its Police Act, separately from workers comp.
Watch the interactions closely. Victoria Police's make-up pay stops when an ESS disability benefit starts. In WA, the compensation scheme pays only if you are medically retired for a work-related condition, and nothing is paid until the retirement happens. NSW officers lost the PBRI TPD lump sum for injuries after 1 October 2024. Our TPD and income protection guide explains the insurance side.
WA's scheme in 2026-27 numbers
The cap on WA's medical retirement compensation is the General Maximum Amount, which rose from $273,220 to $284,448 on 1 July 2026. Calculated by us from the Police Act: the vocational rehabilitation amount (7%) is $19,911, and extra compensation for permanent total incapacity can be up to $213,336 (75%).
How do you challenge a decision?
Insurers and forces get decisions wrong, and many rejected claims are overturned on review. Every scheme has a free, independent path, but the time limits are short. Read the decision letter the day it arrives and note the deadline.
NSW
- Where to go
- Independent Review Office (IRO), 13 94 76: complaints and funded legal help. Personal Injury Commission, 1800 742 679: binding decisions.
Victoria
- Where to go
- Workplace Injury Commission, 1800 635 960: free conciliation, apply within 60 days of the decision letter. WorkCover Assist (03) 9941 0537.
Queensland
- Where to go
- Review by the Workers' Compensation Regulator: apply within 3 months of the decision (s 542). Appeal within 20 business days of the review decision (s 550).
WA
- Where to go
- Medical retirement compensation: Police Compensation Tribunal (the WA Industrial Relations Commission) within 28 days (s 33ZZA). A retirement decision itself can be appealed as harsh, oppressive or unfair (s 33ZI).
SA, Tasmania, NT, AFP
- Where to go
- See the force pages below for each review path. AFP claims start with a request that Comcare reconsider its decision.
| Jurisdiction | Where to go |
|---|---|
| NSW | Independent Review Office (IRO), 13 94 76: complaints and funded legal help. Personal Injury Commission, 1800 742 679: binding decisions. |
| Victoria | Workplace Injury Commission, 1800 635 960: free conciliation, apply within 60 days of the decision letter. WorkCover Assist (03) 9941 0537. |
| Queensland | Review by the Workers' Compensation Regulator: apply within 3 months of the decision (s 542). Appeal within 20 business days of the review decision (s 550). |
| WA | Medical retirement compensation: Police Compensation Tribunal (the WA Industrial Relations Commission) within 28 days (s 33ZZA). A retirement decision itself can be appealed as harsh, oppressive or unfair (s 33ZI). |
| SA, Tasmania, NT, AFP | See the force pages below for each review path. AFP claims start with a request that Comcare reconsider its decision. |
Phone numbers from each body's own website, checked 9 October 2026.
Before you file anything, ask the insurer or force for written reasons if they weren't given, and call your association. Most associations represent members in conciliation, and TPAV, for example, says its WorkCover team represents members at the Workplace Injury Commission.
Where can you get support, and what should you ask your association?
You don't have to work through a claim on your own. Your police association, your force's welfare services and independent first responder services can all help, and none of them will judge you for asking.
Questions to ask your association
- ✓ Am I a 'worker' under my state's Act, or on a different system?
- ✓ What top-ups or allowances will keep being paid while I'm off?
- ✓ Does a PTSD presumption apply to me, and what diagnosis does it need?
- ✓ What time limits apply to my claim and to any dispute?
- ✓ Can you review my claim form or return-to-work plan before I sign?
- ✓ How would medical retirement affect my workers comp, super and insurance?
Support numbers
If you are struggling right now, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 (24/7) or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636. In an emergency, call 000. Fortem Australia supports current and former first responders and their families on 1300 33 95 94 (business hours), and 13YARN is on 13 92 76 (24/7) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Every force's association is listed in our police associations guide. Force-specific welfare numbers are on each workers comp page.
This guide explains the rules; it isn't legal advice. Workers comp is technical, and a short conversation with your association's claims team or a lawyer they recommend can protect thousands of dollars of entitlements. If you also want to check your leave balance while you are off, see police leave entitlements.
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Workers comp law is changing fast: NSW and Victoria have both rewritten their psychological injury rules since 2024. Get an email when any scheme, presumption or police top-up changes, with what it means for an open claim.
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Frequently asked questions
Are police covered by workers compensation in Australia?
Most are, but not all. Victoria, Queensland, SA, Tasmania and NT police are covered by their state or territory scheme, and AFP members (including ACT Policing) by Comcare. NSW officers who joined before 1 April 1988 and contribute to the Police Superannuation Scheme are excluded and get hurt-on-duty benefits instead. WA police are excluded from the WA scheme unless they die from the injury.
Do WA police get workers compensation?
No. Regulation 16(2) of the WA Workers Compensation and Injury Management Regulations 2024 says a police officer is not a 'worker' unless they die as a result of the injury. Injured WA officers rely on paid illness or injury leave, the Commissioner paying reasonable work-related medical expenses, and a lump-sum compensation scheme if they are medically retired for a work-related condition.
Is PTSD presumed to be work-related for police?
In four jurisdictions. Queensland, Tasmania, the NT and the Commonwealth (covering the AFP and ACT Policing) have a legislated presumption that applies to police, so the insurer has to prove the PTSD was not work-related. NSW, Victoria and SA have no PTSD presumption, and WA's covers paramedics and firefighters but not police.
How much workers comp do injured police get each week?
It depends on the force. Victoria pays 95% of pre-injury average weekly earnings for 13 weeks, then 80%, and Victoria Police's agreement tops this up to full pay for 52 weeks. Queensland pays at least the industrial instrument amount for 26 weeks. NSW exempt workers get 100% of their award wage for 26 weeks if totally unfit, and EPSS adds a top-up.
What replaced Police Blue Ribbon Insurance in NSW?
The Enhanced Police Support Scheme (EPSS) replaced Police Blue Ribbon Insurance from 1 October 2024. It tops up workers compensation to up to 100% of salary for the first 9 months, then up to 75% for up to 7 years, with a possible 3-year extension in catastrophic cases. It has no TPD lump sum, and officers contribute 1.8% of salary.
Can I make a psychological injury claim years after the incident?
Often yes, because the clock usually runs from when the injury or incapacity arises, not from the incident. Queensland requires a claim within 6 months of the entitlement arising, with exceptions for reasonable cause. Lodge as soon as a doctor links your symptoms to work, and ask your association about time limits in your scheme.
Does workers comp affect my super or medical retirement?
They are separate but connected. Workers comp covers income and treatment while you are employed. If you can't return, medical retirement and any TPD or income protection cover in your super fund may follow. Some top-ups stop when a super disability benefit starts, such as Victoria's make-up pay when an ESS disability pension begins.
Who can help me if my claim is rejected?
Start with your police association, which usually has a workers comp or legal team. Each scheme also has a free independent body: the IRO and Personal Injury Commission in NSW, the Workplace Injury Commission in Victoria, and the Workers' Compensation Regulator's review unit in Queensland. Time limits apply, so act quickly.
Evidence
Sources and how we checked them
Every figure on this page comes from the sources below, read on 9 October 2026. Pay rates and rules change when new agreements are made, so check the source for the date you're reading this. Where we couldn't confirm something from an official source, the page says so instead of guessing. Spotted an error? Read our corrections policy.
- Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1998 (NSW), s 4 'worker' — PSS contributors excluded
- Workers Compensation Act 1987 (NSW), Sch 6 Pt 19H cl 25, Pts 19Q and 19R — 2012, 2025 and 2026 reforms and police
- icare: weekly payments for exempt workers
- NSW Police Force / PANSW: Enhanced Police Support Scheme FAQ v2 (21 August 2024)
- Audit Office of NSW: The mental health and wellbeing of NSW Police (11 June 2025)
- WorkSafe Victoria: weekly payments
- WorkSafe Victoria: provisional payments
- Victoria Police Enterprise Agreement 2025 (AE528554), cl 77
- Workers' Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003 (Qld) — ss 36ED, 131, 150, 542, 550
- QOTE Notice 2026 (Qld)
- Workers Compensation and Injury Management Regulations 2024 (WA), regs 10 and 16
- Police Act 1892 (WA), Part IID (medical retirement compensation)
- WorkCover WA: indexation of workers compensation payments for 2026/27
- ReturnToWorkSA: support and benefits
- Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 (Tas) — ss 4(2), 28A, 69B
- NT WorkSafe: AWE figures for 2026
- Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 (Cth), compilation 1 July 2026 — ss 7, 19, 24
- Safe Work Australia: Comparison of workers' compensation arrangements 2025, Table 4.15
- Fortem Australia: contact
Related guides
Serving officers
More in this series
General information, not advice. This guide explains published rules and rates. It doesn't consider your personal circumstances and isn't financial, legal, tax or credit advice. Confirm anything you rely on with your force, your police association, the ATO or a licensed professional.