Weekly compensation
When a worker is totally or partially incapacitated for work as a result of their injury, they may be entitled to weekly compensation for loss of earnings during the period of incapacity. The amount of weekly compensation payable is calculated in accordance with the Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003.
Date of injury |
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| Length of claim | before 01/01/05 |
01/01/05 - 01/11/05 |
2/11/05 - 31/12/07 |
after 01/01/08 |
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| industrial instrument (II) | no industrial instrument | industrial instrument | no industrial instrument | industrial instrument | no industrial instrument | industrial instrument | no industrial instrument | |
| up to 26 weeks | 85% NWE or amount under II |
85% NWE or 70% QOTE |
85% NWE or amount under the II |
85% NWE or 70% QOTE |
85% NWE or amount under the II |
85% NWE or 80% QOTE |
85% NWE or amount under the II |
85% NWE or 80% QOTE |
| 26 - 39 weeks | 65% NWE or 60% QOTE |
65% NWE or 60% QOTE |
75% NWE or 70% QOTE |
75% NWE or 65% QOTE |
75% NWE or 70% QOTE |
75% NWE or 70% QOTE |
75% NWE or 70% QOTE |
75% NWE or 70% QOTE |
| 39 - 52 weeks | 65% NWE or 60% QOTE |
65% NWE or 60% QOTE |
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| 52 - 104 weeks | If worker unfit for work after two years, compensation will depend on degree of impairment. | If worker unfit for work after two years, compensation will depend on degree of impairment. | 65% NWE or 60% QOTE |
65% NWE or 60% QOTE |
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| 104 weeks onwards | If worker unfit for work after two years, compensation will depend on degree of impairment. | If worker unfit for work after two years, compensation will depend on degree of impairment. | ||||||
Weekly compensation is paid by electronic funds transfer (EFT) 
directly into an injured worker’s bank account.
Normal weekly earnings
Normal weekly earnings (NWE) are the weekly earnings of an injured worker from continuous or intermittent employment during the 12 months prior to the injury. The following pages have more information on NWE and how it is calculated.
Queensland full time adult's ordinary time earnings
Queensland full time adult's ordinary time earnings (QOTE) is a seasonally adjusted amount of Queensland full-time adult's ordinary time earnings, as declared by the Australian Statistician.
Important note about deductions
We will only deduct tax from weekly compensation. Even though some employers make certain deductions on behalf of the injured worker such as superannuation, WorkCover Queensland cannot. Some industrial instruments require employers to continue paying superannuation while a worker receives workers’ compensation benefits.
An injured worker’s entitlement to weekly compensation stops when the first of the following happens:
