WorkCover WA plays a key role in encouraging and ensuring all Western Australian employers comply with responsibilities under the Workers’ Compensation and Injury Management Act 1981.

Our team of Compliance officers regularly visit workplaces all over the State, and a compliance interaction can be undertaken for a number of reasons, including:

• responding to a complaint regarding workers’ compensation or injury management requirements; 
• conducting a planned audit program; and 
• conducting a targeted intervention program focusing on non-compliant employers.

Compliance officers generally check for:

1.  A current workers’ compensation policy – Compliance officers will ask whether you employ people to work for your trade or business. If so, they will ask to see a Certificate of Currency, which is proof that an employer has a workers’ compensation policy. In some cases, wage audits may be carried out to determine that you are not underinsured, that is, they will check if all your employee wages have been declared for your insurance policy.
   
2. An injury management system / return to work program – learn more about your injury management obligations

WorkCover WA wants to ensure you pay a fair premium for your workers’ compensation policy. Recommended premium rates for workers’ compensation policies are allocated according to the industry your business is in. The recommended rate is set according to the level of risk in that industry. Uninsured and underinsured employers can create high risks in your industry and those risks can result in higher premiums.

WorkCover WA may take a number of different approaches to compliance, including providing education and information, as well as enforcement and prosecution. These approaches depend on the circumstances surrounding each case. View the WorkCover WA Compliance and Enforcement Policy.