iCare (NSW Workers Compensation) Employers Quick Reference Guide

If there has been a serious Workplace injury, illness, dangerous incident or death, contact SafeWork immediately.

Notify iCare of an injury or make a Claim

As an employer, you need to notify your claims service provider within 48 hours of becoming aware of a work-related injury or illness.

EML is icare's default provider.

iCare’s Lodgement Form can be accessed here.

Immediately after becoming aware of a Workplace Injury

When you receive a notification of a workplace injury, there are some things you must do as an employer, including:

    provide first aid and make sure the injured person gets the right care

    notify us of any injury or illness within 48 hours

    record the injury in the register of injuries

    maintain contact with your employee and support the injured person to recover at work

Notifiable Incidents

If a notifiable incident occurs, you must notify SafeWork NSW immediately. Significant penalties apply if you fail to notify an incident.

A ‘notifiable incident’ relates to:

    a fatality

    a serious injury or illness

    a dangerous incident

Keep an Incident Register

Even if an injury doesn’t result in a workers compensation claim, you need to keep a record of what happened. ISOsafe call this the “Incident Register”. The register must be kept in a readily accessible place in the workplace.

We also recommend recording ‘near misses’ as a means of injury prevention. While this is not required under the legislation, it’s considered best practice for worker health and safety.

The register must include the following details of each injury:

    name of the injured worker

    the worker's address

    the worker's age at the time of injury

    the worker's occupation at the time of injury

    the industry in which the worker was engaged at the time of injury

    the time and date of injury

    the nature of the injury

    the cause of the injury

The register of injuries can be kept in writing or on a computer. A record of each notifiable incident must also be kept. Call ISOsafe to setup your Incident Register today – 1300 789 132.

There are penalties for failing to keep a record of injuries.

NSW Workers Compensation Lookup Tool - iCare Verification of Cover

If you want to lookup an employer’s Workers Compensation Registration, iCare offer a handy online tool. All you need is the employers ABN or ACN to access the current Verification of Cover. The iCare lookup tool can be accessed here.

NDIS Provider Support – Fast-Track Your Registration, Free Initial Advice

Free help for business owners with your NDIS questions.

NDIS Registration Help

We help new businesses gain NDIS Registration. We can help with all Steps from NDIS Application through to managing ongoing Compliance with NDIS Audit requirements.

Call Us Today to get started – 1300 789 132

We assist business of all sizes – from sole traders to large companies employing many staff.

Call our NDIS Provider helpline. We offer free initial advice to business owners about the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission regulations to help you get back to business.

We help you better understand The NDIS Rules and Practice Standards.

3 steps to access ISOsafe’s specialist advice:

·       Call our NDIS Helpline.

·       Describe your problem and we'll help solve it with straightforward, general advice.

·       We can also meet with you at your workplace to discuss how ISOsafe’s services can help you navigate complex NDIS requirements.

ISOsafe helps NDIS Providers thrive.

We can help with all NDIS Standards, Registration Groups and Modules.

The Core Standards:

·       Rights of participants and responsibilities of providers

·       Provider governance and operational management

·       Provision of Supports

·       Support provision environment

Registration Groups with specific Modules:

·       Module 1: High intensity daily personal activities

·       Module 2: Specialist behaviour support

·       Module 2A: Implementing behaviour support plans

·       Module 3: Early childhood supports

·       Module 4: Specialised support coordination

·       Module 5: Specialist disability accommodation

We offer complete NDIS Policy Management and Compliance. Call us today - 1300 789 132

JobKeeper Payment for Employers and Employees - JobKeeper Application Extension

The Australian governments $1500 per fortnight wage subsidy eligibility has been announced, but first, a little background:

The JobKeeper payment is intended to assist businesses affected by COVID-19 with the costs of employee wages.

The JobKeeper scheme ends on 27 September 2020.

Eligible employers will receive $1500 per employee, per fortnight, but only if they have paid wages of at least that amount in the fortnight.

Employers must register for the scheme to participate. Applications open on 20 April and close on 31 May – get started today call ISOsafe on 1300 789 132.

Employer Frequently Asked Questions

Does your organisation qualify?

Your business will qualify for the scheme if:

·       On 1 March 2020 you, operated in Australia; and

·       Your business satisfies the decline in turnover test

Additional information can be found on the ATO website.

As an employer you will be eligible for JobKeeper scheme if you can demonstrate ‘decline in turnover’:

·       The businesses projected turnover for a turnover test period is lower than the actual turnover recorded in the comparative period; and

·       The shortfall, expressed as a percentage, equals or exceeds the percentage fall thresholds.

Alternatively, if the business falls short of the edibility criteria for the ‘basic’ test, there is a second test. This test does not have any specific thresholds but does state that if there is not an appropriate relevant comparative period, the Commissioner, who administers the scheme, can determine an alternative decline in turnover test that is appropriate for the business and can be applied.

Will the test require recalculation for each month to remain eligible?

No. If you work out that you qualify in the initial reference period then you do not need to apply the test again. You will be eligible to participate for the duration of the JobKeeper package.

So if my business does qualify for JobKeeper how much will I receive?

If you can demonstrate that you are paying your employees more than $1500 per fortnight payment prior to JobKeeper going live you will be able to apply and receive $1500 per employee per fortnight.

So which employees are actually eligible? Who can I claim for?

An employee is deemed eligible if:

·       They are employed at any time in the fortnight period

·       They are over 16 years old

·       They are permanent or permanent part time employees or casuals for more than one year

·       They are an Australian resident or a resident for tax purposes and a Subclass 444 visa holder

There are some instances where team members are deemed not eligible. These include where parental leave pay is payable to an individual in the fortnight, or if any time in the fortnight the individual is paid partner pay or they are incapacitated for work and due to receive workers compensation payments and the amount payable overlaps with a JobKeeper fortnight.

Also any employee that you employed after 1 March 2020 and any employee that left your employment before 1 March 2020 would not be eligible.

Additional information can be found on the ATO website.

Is there anything I need to do with my employees before I enrol to receive JobKeeper?

Yes, employers need to notify each eligible employee that you intend to nominate them for JobKeeper and they must agree to be nominated. The employees agreement is received by them completing the employee nomination form which can be found on the ATO website. The filled form is to be kept on each employee file by the employer – there is no need to return this into the ATO.

How do I enrol my business to receive JobKeeper?

Use the ATO Business Portal to submit your application from 20 April 2020 by:

·       notifying the ATO your business intends to participate in the JobKeeper scheme; and

·       providing the employee details that are being claimed for.

Detailed step-by-step information can be found on the ATO website.

Do I continue paying my employees?

For employees that are currently being paid, they need to continue to be paid at least $1500 a fortnight for you to claim the $1500 from JobKeeper.

For employees that were terminated and have been reinstated, or employees that have been stood down and reinstated you need to pay them at least $1500 per fortnight for the duration of the scheme.

The amounts that you pay your staff members will be matched by receipts of funds from the Government.

How to remain eligible for JobKeeper?

The business must report, via a form on the ATO website, what the business’s actual revenue was for the reporting month and their expectation for the next month. This must be done within 7 calendar days after the end of the reporting month. The business is also required to update their eligible employee numbers at the end of each JobKeeper fortnight.

When will I start receiving JobKeeper payments?

The ATO has committed to paying the JobKeeper payments no later than 14 days after the relevant fortnight ends.

Important changes to 103 modern awards and legislation in response to COVID-19 pandemic

What are the temporary changes?

Earlier this week the Fair Work Commission made changes to 103 Modern Awards to provide an estimated 4 million plus employees with access to unpaid pandemic leave and provide them with the ability to take annual leave at half pay.

Further, the NSW Government recently passed legislation to amend the Long Service Leave Act 1955 (NSW), and on 30 March 2020, the Prime Minister announced a $130 billion wage subsidy scheme.

Employers should ensure that they are familiar with these important changes which we detail below.

The changes include two weeks unpaid pandemic leave, noting that this unpaid pandemic leave can be undertaken in conjunction with the Job Keeper allowance. Employees taking unpaid pandemic leave cannot be forced to use up annual leave.

The second change is to be able to take annual leave at half pay by mutual agreement. For example, if an employee takes two weeks of annual leave, they would receive the same pay they are entitled to for one week’s annual leave, and only one week of annual leave would be debited from the employee’s annual leave balance.

If employees take annual leave at half pay, the employer must record the agreement in writing and keep a copy of the agreement as an employee record.

Employer Frequently Asked Questions

What are the 103 Modern Awards that have been varied at the initiative of the Fair Work Commission?

The modern awards include:

• Banking, Finance and Insurance Award 2020

• Children’s Services Award 2010

• Clerks - Private Sector Award 2010

• General Retail Industry Award 2010

• Graphic Arts, Printing and Publishing Award 2010

• Manufacturing and Associated Industries and Occupations Award 2010

• Miscellaneous Award 2010

• Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010

To find out whether these changes affect your business call ISOsafe on 1300 789 132.

When do the changes apply?

The changes are in effect now and at this stage, will be until 30 June 2020. The Fair Work Commission may extend this time period, however at this point in time, the new Schedule X will cease after 30 June 2020.

The new Schedule X in the 103 Modern Awards apply from the employees first full pay period on or after 8 April 2020 until 30 June 2020.

Who can access unpaid pandemic leave?

All full-time, part-time and casual employees can access this leave. Employees do not have to accrue it.

Can an employee take more than two weeks pandemic leave?

By agreement with the employer, employees may access more than two weeks unpaid pandemic leave.

Who can take annual leave at half pay?

Employees who have annual leave accrued (full-time and part-time only) will be eligible to take annual leave at half pay.

Are the changes all the same?

The 103 Modern Awards that have been varied to include the new Schedule X – Additional Measures During the COVID-19 Pandemic all include the same provisions.

Need more help?

ISOsafe are helping employers and businesses to manage their staff through the COVID-19 pandemic by providing advice and guidance on a range of matters from redundancies to cross skilling workers to ensure the best possible outcome for employers and their staff. Call us today on 1300 789 132.

Looking for a custom Coronavirus Business Continuity, Pandemic Plan or Infectious Disease Plan for your Business?

For Businesses and Employers it is vital to have appropriate business continuity or Infectious Disease Plan arrangements in place, to ensure continuation of the services that you provide during any pandemic.

ISOsafe can help you prepare a custom plan that will help with customer confidence.

Key Elements of an Effective Business Continuity Plan:

• Use of “plain English”.

• Ownership and full support from senior management, business units and IT.

• Agreement on critical functions and operations to immediately be restored.

• Communication of the plan to all levels of the organisation.

• Regular testing and maintenance to ensure feasibility and relevance.

We can prepare a simple tailored Covid-19 Policy, Plans, Business Pandemic Plans, right through to complete Business Continuity Management Systems (BCMS) for corporates with many staff, multiple business units and locations.

Is your business prepared to deal with the spread of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)?

Contact Us today – 1300 789 132

Note to Cleaning Companies: We can prepare SWMS or SOPs for Foggers/Sprayers/CAFs, and other general Work Instructions for COVID-19 Cleaning Works, including decontamination.