From 1 July each year workers’ compensation benefits are indexed and the new benefits are published in the Victorian Government Gazette. This year the changes include:
the employers’ medical cost excess has increased from $546 to $564
the maximum weekly compensation payment a worker can receive has increased from $1,210 to $1,260 gross per week
the maximum lump sum payment for impairment has increased to $396,690 and the lump sum for death to $265,590.
All indexed amounts can be viewed in Gazette No. G 26, dated Thursday 26 June 2008 at www.gazette.vic.gov.au
The value of a penalty unit has also been indexed. One penalty unit now has a value of $113.42. This means the maximum penalty against a corporation under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 is $1,020,780. The maximum penalty for an individual is now $204,156.
