Workers' compensation and payroll tax

If one of your employees is injured at work, the wages or any compensation you pay while they are away from work are usually taxable.

WorkCover claims and accident pay

If you make a WorkCover claim, any amounts you pay an injured employee from the date of their injury onwards are taxable until the claim is approved. If WorkCover Queensland approves your claim, the original amount you paid your employee for the reimbursement period is no longer taxable. Wages you pay for the date of injury are still taxable.

Requesting a reassessment

If you paid payroll tax on wages after the date of an injury and your WorkCover claim is approved, you can request a reassessment. This must state the:

• amounts you included as taxable wages after the date of injury
• periods you paid these amounts.

Send your request to:

• Queensland Revenue Office
  GPO Box 2248
  BRISBANE  QLD  4001
• or
• payrolltax@treasury.qld.gov.au.

'Make up' pay

If the compensation that WorkCover Queensland pays you is less than the wages you would normally pay the injured employee, any difference that you pay - 'make up' pay - is taxable.

Read the public ruling on workers' compensation payments (PTA015).

Non-taxable compensation payments

Non-taxable compensation payments include compulsory:

• excess from WorkCover Queensland payments
• payments insuring against accidental, work-related injuries.