Workers' Compensation, Return to Work, Behavioural Health and COVID-19 in Australia. 2021

Robert Guthrie, and Robert Aurbach, and Marina Ciccarelli
Adjunct Professor, Workers Compensation and Workplace Law, Curtin University.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted a range of challenges for the participants in Australian workers' compensation schemes. Although there are some jurisdictional differences in legislation operating at sub-national levels, this article addresses some common themes that have emerged since the outbreak of the pandemic in Australia in early 2020. One of the major concerns which has emerged is the issue of proving the causal link between COVID-19 and work. In some jurisdictions, legislation has specifically addressed these causation concerns. While the number of workers' compensation claims overall is low, there are specific industries which have been heavily affected by the pandemic which may result in a spike in claims in areas such as aged care and the medical and allied professions. We speculate that a number of legal and practical concerns will emerge that may in time contribute to some new jurisprudence in the workers' compensation arena.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000086382 COVID-19 A viral disorder generally characterized by high FEVER; COUGH; DYSPNEA; CHILLS; PERSISTENT TREMOR; MUSCLE PAIN; HEADACHE; SORE THROAT; a new loss of taste and/or smell (see AGEUSIA and ANOSMIA) and other symptoms of a VIRAL PNEUMONIA. In severe cases, a myriad of coagulopathy associated symptoms often correlating with COVID-19 severity is seen (e.g., BLOOD COAGULATION; THROMBOSIS; ACUTE RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME; SEIZURES; HEART ATTACK; STROKE; multiple CEREBRAL INFARCTIONS; KIDNEY FAILURE; catastrophic ANTIPHOSPHOLIPID ANTIBODY SYNDROME and/or DISSEMINATED INTRAVASCULAR COAGULATION). In younger patients, rare inflammatory syndromes are sometimes associated with COVID-19 (e.g., atypical KAWASAKI SYNDROME; TOXIC SHOCK SYNDROME; pediatric multisystem inflammatory disease; and CYTOKINE STORM SYNDROME). A coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, in the genus BETACORONAVIRUS is the causative agent. 2019 Novel Coronavirus Disease,2019 Novel Coronavirus Infection,2019-nCoV Disease,2019-nCoV Infection,COVID-19 Pandemic,COVID-19 Pandemics,COVID-19 Virus Disease,COVID-19 Virus Infection,Coronavirus Disease 2019,Coronavirus Disease-19,SARS Coronavirus 2 Infection,SARS-CoV-2 Infection,Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection,COVID19,2019 nCoV Disease,2019 nCoV Infection,2019-nCoV Diseases,2019-nCoV Infections,COVID 19,COVID 19 Pandemic,COVID 19 Virus Disease,COVID 19 Virus Infection,COVID-19 Virus Diseases,COVID-19 Virus Infections,Coronavirus Disease 19,Disease 2019, Coronavirus,Disease, 2019-nCoV,Disease, COVID-19 Virus,Infection, 2019-nCoV,Infection, COVID-19 Virus,Infection, SARS-CoV-2,Pandemic, COVID-19,SARS CoV 2 Infection,SARS-CoV-2 Infections,Virus Disease, COVID-19,Virus Infection, COVID-19
D000086402 SARS-CoV-2 A species of BETACORONAVIRUS causing atypical respiratory disease (COVID-19) in humans. The organism was first identified in 2019 in Wuhan, China. The natural host is the Chinese intermediate horseshoe bat, RHINOLOPHUS affinis. 2019 Novel Coronavirus,COVID-19 Virus,COVID19 Virus,Coronavirus Disease 2019 Virus,SARS Coronavirus 2,SARS-CoV-2 Virus,Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2,Wuhan Coronavirus,Wuhan Seafood Market Pneumonia Virus,2019-nCoV,2019 Novel Coronaviruses,COVID 19 Virus,COVID-19 Viruses,COVID19 Viruses,Coronavirus 2, SARS,Coronavirus, 2019 Novel,Coronavirus, Wuhan,Novel Coronavirus, 2019,SARS CoV 2 Virus,SARS-CoV-2 Viruses,Virus, COVID-19,Virus, COVID19,Virus, SARS-CoV-2,Viruses, COVID19
D000368 Aged A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available. Elderly
D001315 Australia The smallest continent and an independent country, comprising six states and two territories. Its capital is Canberra. Canton and Enderbury Islands,Christmas Island,Christmas Island (Australia)
D014942 Workers' Compensation Insurance coverage providing compensation and medical benefits to individuals because of work-connected injuries or disease. Workmen's Compensation,Worker's Compensation,Workman's Compensation,Compensation, Worker's,Compensation, Workers',Compensation, Workman's,Compensation, Workmen's,Compensations, Worker's,Compensations, Workers',Compensations, Workman's,Compensations, Workmen's,Worker Compensation,Worker's Compensations,Workers Compensation,Workers' Compensations,Workman Compensation,Workman's Compensations,Workmans Compensation,Workmen Compensation,Workmen's Compensations,Workmens Compensation
D058873 Pandemics Epidemics of infectious disease that have spread to many countries, often more than one continent, and usually affecting a large number of people. Pandemic
D060051 Occupational Injuries Injuries sustained from incidents in the course of work-related activities. Injuries, Occupational,Injury, Occupational,Occupational Injury
D062707 Return to Work Resumption of normal work routine following a hiatus or period of absence due to injury, disability, or other reasons. Back to Work,Back-to-Work,Return-to-Work,Work, Back to,Work, Return to

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